Witness Protection
by twicrack83
Summary: Rebel Bella has been shipped around the U.S. for years to different foster homes after being placed in Child Protective Services. What will happen when she is placed with uptight Edward and his family? AU/AH/OOC/adult language and lemons ensue!
1. Darkness

**A/N: I want to thank my wonderful betas Jen's WordSong and twifan82 for helping me out with all the finer points of writing. I love you girlies! You rock my world!**

**Warning: Throughout this story, there may be scenes that are not suitable for some readers such as: ****graphic violence, disturbing scenes of child abuse and/or sexual abuse, violence against women, and explicit depictions of murder. Consider yourself warned.  
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**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own this plot... so don't steal my shizz.**

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**_*~*BPOV*~*_

_Complete darkness. That's all I ever see._

_I smell a campfire and mossy earth. I hear the fire crackling, the rustling of leaves, and heavy footfalls descending from behind me. Fear pulses through my veins. My breathing picks up and my heart begins to race. I feel the wet grass and mud under my fingers. My hands are tied with ripcords behind my back, cutting into the skin, and I sit Indian-style on the ground, backed up against a tree. I try to stand but get forced back to the ground._

_He speaks. "Ah, ah, ah. I'm not ready for you yet. I have to deal with your mother and father first. Hmm… and what to do with that little shit of a brother you have? He never should have tried to run."_

_I hear him move closer. He breathes on my neck, sending shivers down my spine. "I'll get to you soon. I'm saving you for last. I have special plans for you."_

_His voice is low and gravelly. He smells like cigarettes, bourbon, and sweat. I whimper and feel tears well up in my eyes. I know I should run, but my body won't move. I'm rooted to the earth with terrifying thoughts of what will happen to my family._

_I feel him brush my hair off my shoulder and he rubs his thumb against my left cheek. It's rough and scratches my face. I flinch away from his touch and hear him chuckle. "You will be my greatest conquest. So beautiful, so fragile. I may have to keep you around for awhile. No sense in wasting you."_

_His breath washes across my face and nausea rolls over me. I hold my breath and brace for attack as I hear him stand. He shuffles his feet and starts retreating where he came from. My body is in survival mode and I begin thinking of what I need to do to save my family._

_"Why are you doing this? We never did anything to you!" I scream at my captor and I hear him stop and turn to face me again._

_"Your father ruined my life, you little whore! He never should have been able to figure out what I did to Victoria, but somehow he knew, and now he'll pay with his life!" He yells as he smacks me across the face._

_I scream out in pain and turn to where I hear him walking away. "You will never get away with this, James! Do you hear me, motherfucker?" I spit at him and the wind knocks out of me as his foot connects with my stomach._

_"You little bitch! You are a feisty one, aren't you? Just for that, you will get to hear what I do to your parents. It will be slow and agonizing. I promise you."_

_I roll around and writhe in pain on the cold, dead earth for what seems like hours. It hurts to breathe and I can't sit up. I can't hear him near me anymore and I don't know what to expect. Thoughts of my family flit through my mind as I try to think of ways to save them. All I can come up with is running, but my legs don't seem to be connecting with my brain._

_All of a sudden, I hear rustling of leaves to my right. I freeze and hold my breath._

_"Bells!"_

_I hear a faint whisper on the wind. I turn to face the sound and wait._

_"Bells! It's me. Don't move. I'm coming to get you." I hear more rustling and then feel a warm hand on my shoulder._

_"Emmett, is that you? How did you…" I can't finish my sentence. I start sobbing and whimpering. He quickly releases the cloth from around my eyes. He is kneeling next to me on the ground. He has blood all over his face and hair, and his shirt is stained and torn. His pants are hanging in shreds around his hips and he only has on his right sneaker._

_"Bells, it's okay. I'm here now. We'll get out of here, I promise. But you have to stop crying and be quiet or they'll find us." He brings me closer to cut off the ripcords and I yelp out in pain. He releases his grip and stares down at me in fear._

_"Ow! I think that bastard broke my ribs." I look up at Emmett and he gently picks me up and cradles me to his chest._

_"We have to go now. I don't know when he'll be back. He got really pissed off when he couldn't find me before, and he sent out that French fucker to recapture me." He scoffs at the memory and smirks as he looks at me. "I took care of him, though. He won't be coming after us anytime soon."_

_I lay my head against his chest and grip my arms around his neck as he begins to walk into the woods. We don't get far before we hear them._

Screams.

_They are interspersed with rumbling sounds of a chainsaw. We stop dead in our tracks and look to the left. There is a small cabin in the distance. One light shining brightly next to the door and a window to the right. The door flies open and out runs my mother… screaming and shattering the silence. She stops as she reaches the edge of the deck, wobbles, and slowly turns around. She is covered in blood, and as she turns I feel the nausea roll over me again. Her left hand is gone and blood is squirting in spurts from her wrist. She collapses in a heap on the deck._

More screams.

_My father is screaming. He's yelling, cursing, pleading. We hear James yelling back, mocking him, belittling him. "How did you find out, Charlie? Who tipped you off? TELL ME!" The chainsaw roars and we hear our father scream in agony._

_"I will never tell you. All you are is an insignificant prick! You can kill me, but let my family go! Please don't hurt Bella. She's innocent." Tears are streaming down my face from the anguish I feel for my father, and I realize I'm holding my breath again._

_"Can you walk?" Emmett pulls me from my reverie. "We have to save mom. Can you walk if I carry her?" He looks at me pleadingly. I can see that he is crying, too._

_"Yes… I… I think so. I'll help you. Put me down." He places me on my feet. My left side throbs where James kicked me and I'm a little shaky, but I don't care. All I can think is that we have to save her._

_We start walking quietly to the cabin. We can now see that mom is writhing on the deck. She has gashes all over her body and blood is streaming freely from her wounds. We climb the stairs and Emmett bends to pick her up. She doesn't even flinch. She is incoherent; infrequent moans passing her lips._

_"Mom… Mom! Can you hear me?" Emmett whispers and tries to wake her from her stupor. "It's Emmett. Bella is safe. We're going to take you out of here." He stutters the last words as he begins sobbing uncontrollably. I can only watch, lost in my own fear. Then, we hear him._

_"Bella, run… NOW!" Emmett screams at me as he lifts up mom and slings her over his shoulder. He clears the stairs in one jump and I'm hot on his heels in the next second._

_"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" James yells menacingly from the deck, wielding his chainsaw, and we race into the forest._

_Emmett stops and turns to make sure I'm still there. "Bella, you have to hurry or he'll find us! Dad will be fine! We have to go!"_

_I don't realize, at first, that I've stopped running and am turned toward the cabin again. I can now hear soft groans coming from inside and I know Charlie is hanging on with every ounce of strength he has left. I watch as James retreats inside the cabin. I step forward, inching closer to the stairs. "Bella! NO!" It barely registers that Emmett is calling me. My brain flips a switch and I have to save Charlie._

_I take the three stairs up to the deck and shuffle to the door. Through the door I hear Charlie pleading again, gurgling through every word. I peek through the window to the right and stare into the cabin. _

Someone else is screaming now, off in the distance.

_James is standing in the middle of the room, hovering over Charlie who is slumped on the floor in a pool of blood. He lifts the chainsaw in his left hand. The screaming is getting louder in the distance. Charlie tries to lift his right hand, but it quickly falls to the floor._

_"I have waited years to do this. I love seeing you in pain. It's payback for the pain I suffered. The pain you put me through, you stupid, pathetic waste of a pig!" James scowls at Charlie. Charlie gurgles and rolls on his right side, blood trickling out of his mouth. "Now, I take my revenge."_

_With those words I scream, and blackness consumes me once more._

The distant screaming matched my own as someone shook me violently. Huge hands cradled my face as I kicked and punched to get away from his touch. I scrambled away from the hands and clambered to the top of my bed. I was in my room. The sun was streaming through my little window. I started panting and my clothes were sopping with sweat. As my breathing slowed and my heart rate returned to normal, I noticed Emmett was sitting on the floor next to my bed. His knees were up to his chest and he was holding them with his arms, his head bent forward. His safety position. I slowly joined him on the floor and wrapped my right arm around his massive shoulders.

"Bad dream again?" His voice is muffled as he talks into his knees.

"Yeah. I never thought those stupid shrinks worked. It only brings back the memories… and the nightmares." I try to make light of the matter, but the truth is nothing will ever be able to take away that pain.

"You know, Bella… You give me a heart attack every time I hear you start screaming. I just wish there was something I could do to help you." Emmett lifted his head to peek at me over his arms.

"I do, too. But we both know that what happened has scarred us for life and we will forever be fucked up," I justified, reaching for his arm. "You know I appreciate everything you do for me. You're my twin brother and at least we still have each other. Mom and dad would be proud to know we look after each other."

He smirked and I could tell he was worried about me. I tried to smile as best I could, but I knew he could tell I was faking. He grabbed me for a big hug and ruffled my hair.

"Hey, cut that out! You know I'll just end up looking like I have a rats nest on my head and we have to look presentable for our new foster family today."

He laughed. "The families always love you, Bella. It's me they worry about. For some reason, they all think I'm gonna come into their house and bring every bad influence with me. I really don't understand. I've never done anything wrong." He tried to reassure me that I would be fine, but I always felt sorry for him when we got shipped to a new family.

Ever since the murders, we had been shipped to different foster families around the U.S., part of Child Protective Services, a futile attempt at keeping Emmett and I safe from James and his cohorts. Over the years, James or one of his minions would catch wind of where we were living and come looking for us. Of course, as soon as James heard of any law enforcement involvement, he high-tailed it out of dodge and we were shipped to another family. Wards of DFS, that's all Emmett and I had been since we were twelve. We didn't have any family to take us after the "incident", so we were forced into captivity, as I liked to call it.

Emmett always had a harder time with new families than I did. I was cute, tiny, innocent, and easy to get along with… at least with the parents. Always a straight 'A' student, I kept my nose in books most of the time. Emmett, however, was bulky, to say the least. Actually, I think mammoth would be an appropriate description. He was never small or innocent looking. Families saw Emmett as this gargantuan oaf who was bound to get into trouble at every turn. I knew better. He was always polite and courteous, even though the families seemed to turn on him every time something went missing. For the record, that diamond necklace was stolen by that bitch Lauren, and Emmett got the shit beat out of him by that dick of a foster father. We had to stay in that house for the next four months while said dickweed got drunk and took out his aggression on Emmett.

Emmett never complained, though. I would try to convince him we needed to call and get moved, but he would console me and say as long as I wasn't getting the living daylights beat out of me, there was no point in uprooting us again. He was my best friend and I know he would do anything for me, even if that meant taking a beating. He was always there to make me feel better after a nightmare and tell me everything was going to be okay. I loved the big ogre and I couldn't wait until next year when all this fuckery of foster care would be behind us.

We were turning seventeen next month—September thirteenth to be exact, and it was the last year we had to deal with alcoholic foster fathers and being uprooted from homes on a regular basis. Today would be our last morning at Mrs. Stanley's house in Colorado. She was nice enough, but her daughter, Jessica, was a hoochie. Ever since we moved here in January, Jessica was all over Emmett. He would kindly decline her advances, but she was too thickheaded to understand that Emmett was better off sleeping with a warthog than tapping that shit. Everyone at school knew she was a skank. She was good for getting drunk and mounting anything that had two legs, including that cock-face Mike, who Emmett ground to a pulp for trying to feel me up at a party. This town was full of winners, let me tell you, but we would be leaving for Forks, Washington in five hours, so I wasn't complaining.

Emmett and I refused to go anywhere without the other. We needed each other like we needed air. We were each other's rock and nothing could tear us apart. In fact, DFS pitched a fit the time we'd locked ourselves in our bedroom when we were fourteen for seventy-five hours, with no food or water, mind you, while they tried every tactic they could think of to get us to separate. They wanted us to move to opposite ends of the country with the promise that we would reunite after one year. Bullshit! We had fun with those asshats, too. We sang songs and wrote them little love letters and slipped them under the door. I recall one that Emmett wrote, "Roses are red, violets are blue. We will not separate, so SCREW YOU!" We peed out the second story window, and we loved every second of it. Needless to say, DFS never fucked with us again. _Damn straight!_ We were always placed in homes that wanted both of us after that.

We were actually looking forward to this move. It would hopefully last until our eighteenth birthdays and then we would be home free, so to speak. This new family seemed nice enough on paper, but so did the last eight we were forced to stay with. The father was an emergency room doctor, the mother was an interior designer that worked from home most of the time, and they had two children: a boy who was our age, and a girl one year younger. We never got pictures sent with the family files so we didn't know what to expect. Emmett and I hoped they would be compassionate, that the boy wouldn't give us too much grief and that the younger girl wouldn't try to jump his bones. We just couldn't wait to be on our own and off to college.

_Just one more year of foster fuck ups and away we go._

"So, did you pack your gifts?" Mrs. Stanley stood at the stove cooking breakfast, the smell of eggs and bacon permeating the kitchen.

"Yeah, thanks again for getting those for us. We really appreciate everything you did for us." Emmett smiled fondly at Mrs. Stanley. Damn, I love Emmett. That kid could lie to God and get away with it.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Stanley. We packed the gifts in our bags for the new family." I tried to be just as polite, most of the time, but sometimes I just couldn't help myself.

Jessica was sitting across from me at the table looking like a complete slut with her boobs practically falling out of her shirt. Obviously, one last attempt at getting Emmett in her pants, and I just couldn't resist. I glared at her and whispered, "So, Jessica… what will you do with yourself now that you won't have Emmett around to play with? I hear Mike needs a buddy. Maybe you could help him out with his 'little' problem."

"Shut it, Bella," she squeaked back. "You don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"Ha!"

I saw Mrs. Stanley look at me after my outburst and I lowered my voice again. "Like hell I don't, twat. I heard Mike gets off on girls with fat rolls who smell like salami. Really turns him on." I smirked as I watched her jaw drop open and her eyes widen in disgust.

"You think you can get away with that, bitch?" She scowled at me.

"Watch me, skank. I'm leaving in less than three hours and I'll never have to hear from you and your smelly coochie again. Don't say I never did anything for you. I saved you from the worst fuck up in your lame high school career last weekend when you got shit faced and started stripping at the party. You owe me for saving you the embarrassment of being called "Lollipop" for the rest of your existence."

Her jaw dropped again and her cheeks were now blotchy and red. She was fuming, but she knew I was right. No one, and I mean no one, wanted to see what she was going to do with that lollipop while she straddled the coffee table. I shivered at the thought.

Emmett was sitting to my left and I could see him fighting off giggles while he sipped his orange juice. He was at the party, too, and couldn't believe I'd actually saved her ass.

_What can I say? It was my one attempt at being nice to her before leaving this shit hole town._

"Okay, kids. Breakfast is finished. Come get your plates. And Emmett… save some for the girls, please." Mrs. Stanley scolded as she placed plates on the counter and popped bread into the toaster.

"Like that whale needs more food." Emmett scoffed as he rose from the table. I nearly spewed milk out my nose when he said that. I was sputtering and coughing on my failed attempt at swallowing, and Mrs. Stanley came rushing over to my side to see what happened.

"My dear! What's the matter? Go down the wrong pipe?" She questioned, looking at me with concern.

"Yeah," _cough_, "I think," _sputter_, "I swallowed wrong." I glared at Emmett who was chuckling while piling his plate with scrambled eggs.

"This all looks great, Mrs. Stanley. Thanks for breakfast. Bella and I will be ready to leave by eleven for the airport." Emmett was trying his best at being civil, but Mrs. Stanley never liked him.

_Surprise, surprise. At least she never beat him._

After breakfast was over, we finished packing our few personal items and were on our way to the airport. We couldn't wait to get away from here and move on to a new town where no one knew us and no one cared who we were in the first place. We hugged, and smiled, and "thank you'd," then fake cried when we arrived at our terminal and said our goodbyes. Emmett and I took our seats on the flight and we waited for takeoff.

"So, you excited, Bells?" Emmett looked down at me with a boyish gleam in his eyes.

I couldn't help but smile back. "Of course, you big doof. I couldn't wait to get away from skankoid back there. She was really cramping my style. And we finally get to move to a small town with a nice family, hopefully. Their profile seemed promising."

"Yeah, I hope so, too. We deserve a nice family for all the shit we've been through." He was always so hopeful and nothing seemed to bother him. Well, except when someone tried to get in my pants. Then he went apeshit, but I loved him nonetheless.

"You know no matter what, we'll have each other, big guy. That… I know I can count on. And I'll always have your back." I smiled up at him and gave him a hug.

"I love you, too, Bells. Don't go getting all sappy on me now. I need your wit to keep me goin." He snickered and ruffled my hair again.

"Shit, Emmett! Do you really have to do that? I just got that tamed and now you go and fuck it up. I hope that older brother's not hot, because now I look like Chewbacca." I tried, futilely, to reshape the mane, but nothing was working. I huffed and grabbed a hair tie out of my carry-on and wrapped up my hair in a messy bun.

_So much for being presentable._

The flight was three hours, which was tolerable because I wasn't sandwiched between two douchebags like I was the last time I was on a plane. Nope… this time Emmett and I had the seats next to the window, so it was just the two of us, goofing off. We got a kick out of watching the flight attendant blush at our potty mouths, and kept asking for peanuts just so we could peg unsuspecting passengers when they walked by. Yeah, I was pretty sure we'd never be allowed to fly on that airline again. We felt like special kids on the short bus when security escorted us from the plane after it landed.

_What a trip!_

After touching down at SeaTac and gathering our bags, we headed out of the terminal and looked for a taxi. We were standing there just putzing around when I noticed _him_.

He was tall, slender build, wearing a grey fitted t-shirt that showed off his muscles, dark-wash button-fly jeans, and black, ratty Converse sneakers. He was nervously bending his fingers back and forth while looking around for whoever he was picking up.

_I bet those fingers would know their way around my lady bits. I wonder if he likes to spank?_

As my eyes wandered up his frame, I felt a small moan escape my lips as I watched his biceps ripple every time he moved his arms. Then I saw his face.

_Cue panty drop in three… two… one!_

He had a perfect, strong jaw with lickable stubble in just the right amount. His cheek bones were well-defined and I watched intently as his mouth moved while he chewed on the corner of his bottom lip. Holy crow… his lips! Plump, luscious masterpieces of deliciousness that I really wanted to taste.

_Mmmm, and I bet they taste sinful._

Then his tongue darted out of his mouth and licked the corner of the lip he was just worrying. I could feel my body start to quiver and my panties get wet.

_Yep, zero to Niagara Falls in 1.2 seconds._

Then, I noticed his eyes; deep green and endless. Eyes that would swallow you whole and make you forget your name.

_What… Huh… Oh yeah… Continue with the eye-fuck, Bella._

And to top it all off, bronze sex-hair that made him look like he was freshly fucked and ready for more. I let my sight linger again on his eyes, when I realized he was staring at me. He was giving me the once over I had just so blatantly given him and I felt my cheeks start to flush and I bit my bottom lip.

_Well, at least he knows how to give a good eye-fuck. I wonder if I could make him… Cripes, quit staring, Bella._

"Bella? Earth to Bella. Hey, are you listening? We have a ride. Come on. The meter's running."

"Damn it, Emmett!" I punched him hard in the shoulder as I berated him. "You ruined my moment with Mr. Hotness over there. I was getting a rather good eye-fucking and I wanted to make it last."

We started loading our bags into the trunk of the cab when I felt a tap on my right shoulder. I immediately stiffened and held my breath. I turned around slowly and once again got lost in the depth of those green eyes.

"Um… Yes?" I'm not sure how I managed to form words at this point, but at least I said something.

"Well… ummm… yeah. I mean… Hi, I'm Edward Cullen and… I think… I think you and your brother are supposed to be staying with us for a while." He was running his fingers through his hair and I swear I noticed a blush on his cheeks. "My father sent me here to pick you up. He was stuck at the hospital for a double shift. He's terribly sorry he's not here to greet you."

My brain was mush at this point. I had no idea if I would ever be able to speak again after this amazing dazzling. At least Emmett could still move his mouth because I was lost in the world of Mr. Sex-hair again, and I never wanted to find my way out.

"Thank you, Edward. This is Bella and I'm Emmett. It's a pleasure to meet you." The whole time Emmett spoke, Edward stared into my eyes. Everything around us seemed to blur. I felt Emmett tug on my arm and I shook my head to regain composure.

"Yes… well, ummm… pleasure to meet you, Edward," I stuttered as I looked down at my feet. Thank god I'd worn my good bra today.

_At least my boobs are working it for me._

"Okay then. Shall I take your bags, Bella?" Edward looked directly at me and I felt my body reduce to a heaping pile of goo. The way my name left his lips was mesmerizing. I definitely wanted to hear him say it again.

"S-Sure. Thank you, Edward." I took this opportunity to glance at Emmett. He was trying not to smile at our little exchange, but he knew all too well what was going through my mind. I turned again to see Edward reaching around me to grab my bags from the trunk of the taxi. He lightly brushed against my arm and we both flinched at the touch. I gasped from the warm tingle that ignited on my arm where his skin grazed mine. He breathed a simple, "sorry" in my ear and his sweet breath washed over my face.

_Commence panty combustion._

"I'm the Volvo, right there." Edward pointed to the silver Volvo not far from where we were all standing.

"Great. I'll just pay the cabbie for his time and meet you over there." Emmett left us and went to the front of the taxi.

Wonderful! Emmett left while I couldn't formulate coherent thoughts and I was forced to navigate walking alongside Mr. Panty-dropper. I just hoped the word vomit didn't start soon.

"So, do you have a girlfriend?" Shit! No such luck with the word vomit.

Edward hesitated, "Umm, well, no. I don't. I'm keeping my slate clean for now and focusing on keeping my grades up so I can get into a good college. My father wants me to go to med school, so I really need to focus, since this is my senior year and all." He stopped talking abruptly and opened the trunk of the car. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair again.

_Gah! I bet it's soft. I wonder if he likes it to be pulled?_

"Oh. I guess your parents are really proud of you. I mean, I would be proud of you… Uh, I mean… shit, forget it." What was wrong with me? All he had to do was look at me with those eyes and I was toast.

I turned around quickly and promptly fell on my ass. Then, I picked myself up off the pavement and climbed into the back seat. I swear I heard Edward chuckle before he shut the trunk and walked around to get behind the wheel.

"So, we ready to roll?" Emmett sneaked into the front passenger seat and smiled back at me before turning to Edward again. "Oh, and Edward? If you touch my sister, I'll kill you."

_Emmett! You stupid shit!_

This was going to be a long, fucking ride.

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**A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read my first ever fanfic! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I plan on switching up POVs every once in a while, because really, who doesn't love a little variety! The next chapter should be up soon. Please click and review! I would love to hear what you think. ;)**


	2. Home

**A/N: Thank you to my beautiful betas twifan82 and Jen's WordSong for getting this out super fast. You girlies are better than a shirtless Edward! And thank you to all the readers that added this story to their favorite list and story alert. I am truly humbled ::bows head in gratitude:: I also wanted to shout out to my reviewers for the first chapter: ElspethGordie and ignora. You two made my entire week shine! Thank you all!  
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**Dislaimer: SM owns Twilight. I just get to make Bella curse like a sailor.**

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*~*EPOV*~*

I couldn't believe my luck.

Ever since my parents decided to house two more foster kids, I was apprehensive about their arrival, to say the least. I never got along with any of the previous ruffians we took in, and I certainly wasn't expecting this time to be any different. I had to admit, though… I was a little intimidated by the brother and his record of stealing and fighting… and his size. DFS always sent pictures, and they were never good quality, mind you, but he looked like he knew his way around a gym. And the sister… well, she was cute, but that was about it. Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to this "new pair" any more than the last ten kids.

But when I saw her at the airport, I almost lost my junk.

Hot damn! She was wearing tight, low-rise blue jeans and a simple, blue, v-neck t-shirt that hugged her body and made her pale skin glow. She had her dark hair tied back in a messy bun and she was winding a fallen strand around her fingers as she waited on the sidewalk. When she turned in my direction and I felt my heart race. She raised her arm to twirl her hair again and a sexy sliver of skin appeared between her shirt and jeans, and I swear it sparkled.

_Must not stare. Must not stare. Must not stare._

I looked away momentarily to regain my composure and started cracking my fingers, a nervous habit of mine. When I looked back, her mouth was slightly open and her tongue was slowly tracing her bottom lip… _her full, pouty, juicy lips_.

Then, time seemed to stop when I looked at her eyes. I held my breath and couldn't bring myself to look away from her stare. She had big, beautiful brown eyes that bore straight into my soul. And, oh god, I wanted her to know my soul. _Hell, I wanted her to know other parts of me too, including the bulge in my pants I was currently trying to hide._ But I had to get past that big brother of hers first.

_Let the games begin!_

I saw them start walking to a taxi, so I pulled together all the charm I had and walked over to them. As she placed her bags in the trunk of the cab, I lightly tapped her on her right shoulder and felt her stiffen. She slowly turned to face me and her cheeks immediately changed from milky white to perfect pink. I put on my best crooked smile and began the necessary introductions.

Her brother started talking for both of them and I could tell he was sizing me up. We were both the same height, but he had me by a mile in the muscle department. I could tell this was going to be tougher than I anticipated earlier.

_Well, here goes nothing._

I offered to carry Bella's bags and reached past her to grab them from the trunk.

_Holy sparks, Batman!_

I accidentally… okay, not accidentally, grazed her arm as I went for her bags and it felt like sparks igniting under my skin. I heard her gasp as we both flinched away. Did she feel that, too?

I whispered "my apologies" in her ear and picked up her bags. At that exact moment, a small breeze moved along the sidewalk and I thought I would pass out from the delectable scent that blew my way. It was strawberries and cream and mint and just… Bella.

_Amazing!_

I had to distract myself before I started moaning, and before that brother of hers caught on to my infatuation, so I quickly stood up and directed us to my car. I was stunned at Bella's forwardness when she questioned me about a girlfriend. I had to stop myself before asking her to be mine, and instead started rambling on and on about school and grades and college.

_God! I feel like such a doofus!_

But it was really sweet when she mentioned being proud of me. I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Then she turned around so fast that she plopped on her ass before I could catch her, and I started chuckling to myself as she climbed in the backseat.

After getting behind the wheel and putting the key in the ignition, Emmett sauntered over and got in the front passenger seat. Then he turned to me and said the one thing I had feared.

"Oh, and Edward? If you touch my sister, I'll kill you."

I stiffened at his remark and gripped the steering wheel with both hands. I peeked in the rearview mirror at Bella, and if my assessment was correct, she looked livid.

_Watch out Emmett! You may be enormous, but I think Bella could totally kick your ass!_

The tension was palpable, but then, Emmett's booming laughter filled the car.

"Ha ha ha ha! You should see the look on your face, Edward!" He chuckled as he held his stomach with his right arm, punching me in my shoulder with his left. "You went white as a ghost when I said that, you pansy! But I like you, man. I think we're gonna be great friends."

Wait. What? Did I just hear that correctly? This oversized beast of a teenager said we would be friends after he punched the shit out of my arm. Nope… no way… I don't think so… could we? His record was full of fuck ups from his previous foster homes and I'd never gotten into trouble in my life. Always a straight 'A' student, captain of the varsity soccer team, president of the student council, and this troll wanted to be _my_ friend!

_If it gets me in Bella's pants, then I'm game!_

"Ha! Yeah… that was funny, Emmett. You got me, big guy." I tried to ease the anxiety I was feeling by joking with him, but I seriously started sweating bullets. What had I gotten myself into? I signed up to be the Abominable Snowman's best friend just for the chance of getting into Snow White's panty drawer. I seriously needed to think this through. This was going to be one hell of a ride.

* * *

*~*BPOV*~*

As Edward navigated his way out of the airport and onto the freeway, I gave my best death stare to the back of Emmett's obnoxious head. I could hardly believe he said that… the fucker. Well, he would definitely be paying for that in the near future, and I would get him when he least expected it, too.

But poor Edward; I almost thought he was going to pee his pants when Emmett threatened him. All the color drained from his face and his knuckles turned white when he gripped the steering wheel. For a second, I couldn't tell if he was going to lay Emmett out right then and there, or if he was deciding on an escape route.

_I wouldn't mind laying Edward out… _Another time, Bella, another time.

I almost saw the wheels turning in that sexy little head of his as he drove toward Forks. Every few minutes or so, I glanced at the rearview mirror and noticed Edward's face was all screwed up in concentration. He was really mulling something over and I would have given anything to know what he was thinking. But no matter how many times I peeked at him, I never detected him looking at me. How odd. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes off me at the airport. Maybe I misinterpreted his stares before. Maybe he really thought I was too… normal for his taste. Or maybe he thought I was just some other stupid foster kid that was going to ruin his life for the next twelve months. Whatever the reason, Edward was on my radar screen and I wanted to see inside his mind. Someone that fuckable was definitely worth pursuing, even if he thought I was too plain.

The drive was taking forever! In reality, it was only about three hours, but it could have been three days for as slow as time passed. Every once in a while Emmett tried to start a conversation and Edward nodded and grunted in acknowledgement. I, however, stayed as quiet as I could, not wanting to give anything away about my plans for Emmett or my feelings for Edward. Did I have feelings for him? No… I couldn't. Could I? I'd barely said four words to him at the airport. Of course I thought he was extremely pretty to look at, but I didn't know anything about him, other than he planned to go to med school. He was obviously smart… and polite… and athletic… and mesmerizing… and gorgeous… and…

_Oh crap! Now I'm rambling. I've literally lost my mind._

I turned my attention away from their mindless driveling and gazed out the window at the scenery. I was engulfed in a sea of green. I don't think I'd ever seen so much moss in my life. Admittedly, I had been preoccupied for the last several years with trying to stay alive and all. You know… minor details… that sort of stuff.

After being placed in DFS's custody, Emmett and I were forced to go to a psychiatrist once a month, part of our "rehab" so to speak. The first couple of times seemed to help, but lately all it did was give me terrible, earth shattering nightmares that not only scared the shit out of me, but started wearing down Emmett as well. I never fully opened up about what happened that night. Only Emmett truly knew the details, but he wasn't known for his full disclosure either. I don't think either of us wanted to revisit the extent of our torture. Neither of us was thrilled it happened in the first place, so why would we want to relive that fucked up nightmare now? The psychiatrists never understood why we were so closed off, or why we couldn't stand to share our thoughts. I mean, really, who would want to? Who, in their right mind, would willingly go through all that pain again and again with no promise that it would go away?

The recent sessions turned out to be the worst in a while. Emmett chocked it up to my girlie hormones, but I wasn't sure. I was really missing a steady, strong female presence in my life like my mother had been… how many years ago… jeez… had it been five years already? Time flies when you're having fucked up fun. Don't get me wrong. I loved Emmett dearly, but when you have a twin brother that is literally the size of the Hulk, you miss that motherly influence. He was always there when I needed a shoulder to cry on, always right beside me when we decided to screw with people's heads, and never failed to grind boys to a pulp when they pissed me off. But the older we got, we drifted away from our nightly talks and I got the gist Emmett missed a fatherly figure as much as I missed Mom.

We'd never talked about it, but I knew we both hoped this foster family was going to fill that void. In all the families we were forced to stay with, _none_ of them treated us like their own children. We were always the rejects, the kids with problems. Sometimes it felt like we had three noses and walked upside down. But this time… this time we deserved to have a loving family that regarded us as one of their own flesh and blood, to finally have a father that wasn't a drunk and didn't get his kicks out of beating a poor, defenseless boy till he was black and blue, to finally have a mother that _wanted_ to spend time with me and wasn't forced to buy me clothes because it was part of their agreement with DFS.

We'd constantly put on brave faces and could definitely hold our own in a fight, but at the end of the day, we just wanted love. I was actually beginning to think I had forgotten what love of a family should feel like. Well, I knew brotherly love for sure, but I wanted… no, needed someone other than Emmett to say they loved me.

I also needed someone to be irrevocably and unconditionally in love with _me_. I wanted to fall so deep in love that I would never find my way out, and not some lame "I love you" from a random guy I just happened to be giving a blow-job.

Unfortunately, I had _a lot_ of baggage for an almost seventeen year old, and if I wanted someone to love me, I would have to let them in. This meant letting that person know my darkest secrets, and I wasn't sure I could do that just yet. I had some serious thinking to do and I knew what needed to be done first.

But before I initiated the Bella-bares-her-soul plan, I had to start breaking down the barrier that was Edward Cullen- the mysterious hotness that currently sat in the front seat driving us to our new home. All I had to do was talk to him… right? Yeah, sounded easy enough, but I couldn't seem to make heads or tails of myself when he looked at me… or breathed… or ran his long fingers through his hair.

_Whoa... I think I just drooled a little._

I shook my head as I realized I was staring at Edward's reflection in the rearview mirror. For the briefest second, I saw his eyes flick up and meet mine. I shivered involuntarily at Edward's momentary glimpse into my soul, and then Emmett tried to start up a conversation again.

"So, any good places to eat around here? I'm starving." Leave it to Emmett's stomach to make its presence known.

"Well, we don't really eat out a lot. My mom cooks for us all the time, and I'm pretty sure she's gonna have something ready when we get there." Edward straightened out in his seat and started rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"Oh, really? What do you think she's making? I mean, I'll eat anything right about now, but I like to know what I'm in for. Ya know?" Emmett questioned and turned to smile and wink at me. I rolled my eyes at him. _What a dork!_

"Um… I'm not sure. I think she was going for something simple tonight. Italian maybe? She wasn't sure what you two would like, and she wanted to stick with something that's universally acceptable." Edward seemed to get nervous again, and he started fidgeting in his seat and bending his fingers back on the steering wheel. I sighed a little. _What a cutie!_

"Wow! That sounds awesome! How much longer till we get there?" Emmett asked, his brain functions always controlled by his stomach.

"We have about forty-five minutes. I can call her if you would like something else. It really won't be a problem. She wants you to feel welcome." Edward looked at Emmett, then glanced up and met my eyes in the mirror again.

_Here goes nothing._

"No. Italian food is perfect. We don't want her to be put out. Whatever she makes will be wonderful." I tried to comfort Edward because he looked like he was going to do some serious damage to his fingers if he didn't stop bending them like that. And we couldn't have anything happen to those fingers before they showed me a good time, now could we.

_Down, girl!_

The truth is none of our past families ever cared what we thought. Our opinions never mattered to them. This was such a change of pace. I think I was actually going into shock at that point. I desperately wanted to be accepted and now that it seemed I was, I didn't know how to handle it.

"Is your m-mom always so n-nice?" I stuttered out as I looked up under my eyelashes into those piercing, green eyes.

Edward's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and his bottom lip pouted out ever so slightly. "What do you mean? I guess I don't understand your question."

"Well, none of our other families ever cared what we thought. It's just so… nice of her to take the time to worry about what we would like." I stopped then, felt my cheeks blush and stared down at my shoes.

Edward didn't seem to know what he should've said to my admission. His eyebrows furrowed deeper and he started worrying his bottom lip just like he had at the airport. I closed my eyes and rubbed them with the heel of my hands. I knew I should have been ecstatic about this new foster mother, new home, new family. But all I could think was that there was no way this would last. This new family would wind up being just like the others. In time, they would forget we even existed. We would become flies on the wall, and at the end of our stay they would just swat us away with the garbage they really thought we were. No one would ever fully accept us… so was the story of my life.

Emmett was looking back and forth between Edward and I, and I could sense his unease. He scratched his head and looked at Edward.

"Hey, man? So… you play sports?" Emmett always tried to take focus off me when he knew I felt stressed. He had a sixth sense about that kind of thing. He knew I hated being the center of attention and he helped me out as often as he could.

Edward relaxed slightly at this question and answered, "Yeah, I play soccer. I'm the captain of the varsity team at school. I'm the starting striker, and I'm trying to get a sport's scholarship along with an academic one… for college, you know."

"A striker, huh? I take it you like to score… if you catch my drift?" Emmett chuckled elbowing Edward in the side, then smirked at me. He could not seem to keep his mind out of the gutter today, or any day for that matter.

_Said the kettle who just gave a rather extensive eye-fucking not three hours ago._

Edward blushed and I just glared at Emmett again. I was _so_ taking revenge for all his obscene and unwanted comments today. He knew it would be coming, too, so I would have to be extra covert with this one.

_Game on, bitch!_

The rest of the ride was spent in utter silence. Every once in a while, one of us sighed or repositioned ourselves in the seats, but no one dared start up a conversation. I think Edward was scared Emmett would bring up _extracurricular_ _activities_ again, but I wasn't entirely sure Edward didn't have it in him to be a bad boy.

_All in due time, my dear._

Emmett was rarely one to be at a loss for words, and I knew that was because he was really trying his hardest to be liked by this family. He didn't want to screw up his last chance at having a family accept and trust that he really was a good kid.

/~/+/~/

I was lost in wandering thoughts of Edward and I "doin' the nasty" and barely noticed we'd turned onto a long, winding driveway. It went on _forever_. It seriously had to be like three miles just to get to the front yard and another quarter mile to the actual house. No… not house… mansion… castle… manor… oh hell, whatever you want to call it. I didn't care. It was fucking huge! You could see further off in the back yard was a pool house and a detached garage. _No. Freaking. Way._ This was unreal, but oh so awesome! I was starting to think foster care wasn't so bad.

Edward parked in the detached garage, and I couldn't move. I just sat there in the backseat with my elbow on the door armrest and my head in my hand while I gawked out the window at the house. I vaguely remembered hearing Emmett and Edward talking and laughing, when Edward opened my door and I practically tumbled to the ground. Edward very gracefully caught me before my face met the concrete, but in the process of me falling, my face planted firmly in his crotch and my hands found their way to his ass. _His perfectly round, delectable ass._

_Fucking scrumptious!_

I scrambled to my feet and Edward walked backwards faster than I'd ever seen anyone move. I thought I heard him mumble something about _hard_ and _hot_ when he turned for the house, but I really wasn't sure. I quickly composed myself and headed for the front door.

When I stepped inside, I was hit with the smell of garlic bread and Chicken Marsala. _Yum!_

As I removed my shoes, I heard Emmett's laughter around the corner and I followed the sound into the kitchen.

I turned the corner and noticed a woman standing in front of the oven as she fiddled with the dials. She had beautiful caramel-colored, shoulder length hair and she was wearing a comfy black tracksuit with an apron over the top and only socks on her feet. She turned when she heard my entrance and said, "Isabella! Welcome, sweetheart. We are so glad you're here! My name is Esme, but you can call me Mom." She introduced herself as she walked toward me and gave me a blinding smile and warm hug. "Please have a seat at the table. Dinner will be ready shortly. You must be starving, and I hope you like Italian food."

_Must pick up jaw from floor._

"Thank you, Esme. I'm glad to be here finally. And… um… yes, Italian is wonderful. Thank you for making us dinner." I blushed and looked over at Emmett who was already stuffing an entire piece of garlic bread in his mouth. He just shrugged and finished chewing as he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Then, the world seemed to go in slow motion as a small, dark-haired flew into the room. I couldn't make out much about her at first because she flitted so quickly around the kitchen that she actually blurred. But then she stopped next to Esme and tasted the sauce that was on the stove.

"Mmmm, Mom that's great! Do you need me to set up the table for you?"

_Ahh… the sister._

"Yes, Alice. That would be very helpful. And did you meet Isabella and Emmett? They just arrived." Esme pointed over to me standing against the far wall. Alice spun around and bounced over to me in two seconds flat. She had a huge smile on her face and her eyes were literally glowing with happiness. She had short, spiky, dark hair and she was a tiny little thing. I think I quite possibly could have stuck her in my back pocket. She was wearing a cap-sleeved, light blue, button up blouse that fit close to her small frame, and there was a fabric bow tied around her middle to accent her waist. She had on black skinny jeans and was barefoot. She got up on her tiptoes and pulled me in for a hug.

"Oh, Bella! I can call you Bella, right? We are going to have so much fun! You like shopping? We need to go shopping. I know just the place. It'll be great!" She stopped to take a breath and stepped back to look at my face. It took my brain a moment to catch up. "You must be exhausted. Why don't you go sit down and we'll catch up after dinner. I can't wait!" She clapped her hands in excitement and guided me to the dining room.

_Wow! Hyper much?_

"You can sit here at the table if you want, or you can go through there and sit on the couch. I think your brother already claimed the chair. Whatever you want. I'm gonna help Mom set the table. Would you like something to drink?" Alice asked.

_Seriously, how does she not explode from all that energy?_

"Umm… Could I help you with the table? It's the least I could do since we're getting an awesome dinner. Uh… and do you have soda?" I half smiled and waited for the whirlwind that was Alice to take over the room.

"That would be great!" She bounced in place and grabbed my hand. She dragged me back in the kitchen and went straight for the fridge. She opened the door and stuck in her head as she asked, "Do you want Sprite, Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, or Dr. Pepper?"

"I think I'll take a Dr. Pepper. That sounds really good. Thanks." She quickly handed me my soda and shut the fridge door.

Never in the five years of foster care did I ever get a "real" soda, if I got one at all. Emmett and I were usually only given water or milk, but if we were ever offered soda, it was the cheap knock-off brands that tasted like feet. So, when Alice starting spewing off name brand products, I almost fell on the floor. Stuff like this just didn't happen.

I followed her over to the cabinets while I opened the soda and took a long drink. Alice started gathering plates and glasses and setting them on the counter. "We can take these into the dining room and set up and then we can help Mom bring in the goodies."

Just as we finished setting everything up, I heard the front door open again as someone new entered the house. Alice looked up as she repositioned a spoon.

"Good. Dad's home. Let's go get the food from the kitchen so we can chow," Alice said as she motioned toward the kitchen.

"The dads" were always the one's that Emmett and I feared most. They were most likely to beat us and hate us. Men never liked kids who weren't their own, that was just something we grew to understand as fact. So when Alice announced that "the dad" had arrived, I couldn't help but shiver at the thought. I immediately went into the living room and saw Emmett hunched forward in a big leather chair with his face in his hands. When I approached, he lifted his head and peeked through his fingers up at me. "Bella… I really want him to like me. I don't think I can handle any more rejection," he whispered. I really thought he was going to cry.

I squatted down next to the chair and patted his right shoulder. "Emmett, you have no reason for him not to like you. You are an awesome, good kid and you know it. Just be yourself and quit acting like a little girl before I have to kick your pansy ass." I smiled at him and he grinned while we stood up and walked to the kitchen.

We quietly made our entrance and stood just inside the doorway of the kitchen. Esme was pulling the chicken out of the oven and Alice was finishing up the garlic bread on the island counter. I walked over to Alice to help her carry the food into the dining room and Emmett quickly followed.

Just then, "the dad" came into the kitchen and set his black messenger bag down on the small table in the corner. He was still in his light blue scrubs and white doctor's coat, and I had to stop myself from sighing because now I knew where that sexy son of his got his hair. He went straight over to Esme and gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek, then turned to Alice and kissed her on the cheek, too. He looked up at me, then, and I took in a sharp breath as I noticed his eyes. They were bright blue and so understanding. I had to keep my mouth shut or I was going to share every secret about my miserable life with this man I'd only just met.

_What is it with men in this family and their eyes?_

He ran his hand through his hair and smiled gently at Emmett and me before he started to speak. "Isabella and Emmett. I'm Carlisle, but as Esme has probably already told you, you can call us Mom and Dad. We want you to be comfortable here, so if there is anything at all that you might need, please let us know. We really are grateful that you are staying with us and we want nothing more than for you to feel at home." He paused and smiled again while looking back and forth between Emmett and me.

I elbowed Emmett in the stomach for his cue to speak and he started, "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. We really appreciate everything you've done for us already. I promise we won't be any trouble, sir."

Emmett poked my back for me to continue. "Umm… yes, thank you, Carlisle. Everything is wonderful. We feel honored."

Carlisle smiled again and started to chuckle while he finished his greeting. "Please… Emmett. You don't have to say _sir_ after everything. I am not a drill sergeant. The only thing I expect from the both of you is to feel at home. We may ask you to help out with chores here and there, but it's nothing that we don't already expect from Edward and Alice. Oh, and about the airport… I'm terribly sorry I wasn't able to get you myself. We had a multiple trauma come in right as my first shift was ending, so I stayed to help out. I hope Edward was an okay replacement." He looked straight at me and I could feel the red return to my cheeks.

"I'm sure Edward was wonderful, dear," Esme interjected. "They only just arrived and I'm sure they're starving. Dinner is getting colder by the moment, so why don't you get changed and meet us at the table so we can eat." She smiled warmly at Carlisle and he laughed as he kissed her on the forehead, and then headed out of the kitchen.

We all carried our designated trays to the dining room and set them on the table. Emmett and I chose seats next to each other and Alice plopped down across from me. Then Mr. Sex-hair, himself, made his entrance and I couldn't help but smile and blush as I looked down at my plate and bit my bottom lip.

When I looked up, I caught him staring at me and he quickly turned his head. I could see Emmett's smirk out of the corner of my eye and I took this time to swiftly kick his shin under the table. Of course, it didn't hurt him in the least, and he just wound up smiling bigger and punched me square in the shoulder.

"Ow! That hurt, you big nerd." I rubbed my shoulder as I glared at Emmett, while Alice and Edward started laughing. In the next instant, I ended up staring at Edward from across the table. He had the best smile. His eyes scrunched up and his lips curled into a crooked smirk; it was stunning. As I watched him laugh, I quickly found myself giggling with everyone else.

As Esme and Carlisle made their way to the table, the laughter died down. "This looks wonderful!" started Carlisle. "I do love a full table. It feels so empty when seats aren't filled." He smiled at Emmett and me as he sat down.

"This looks awesome, Esme. Thanks for cooking for us." There went Emmett again… sucking it up.

"Why thank you, Emmett. It really was no trouble. I hope you enjoy it." Esme started placing food on everyone's plates and we all dug in after she took her seat.

While we ate, we chatted about our last family, what sports Emmett hoped to try out for at school, and the flight on the way here. We carefully omitted the peanut throwing escapade and the security escort, of course. It was a very relaxing atmosphere.

After dinner, we carried our plates into the kitchen and placed them in the dishwasher. Edward was walking behind me and when I glanced back, his head snapped up. He had "guilty" written all over his panty-dropping face.

_That little shit is staring at my ass! Score!_

I bent down to place my dishes in the washer and I purposely kept my backside up in the air while bending at the waist. I turned my face toward him, stared straight into those hypnotic green eyes, bit my lip, and winked. His jaw dropped immediately and he blushed a magnificent shade of pink. I stood up and walked slowly passed him while I grazed my arm against his. _There was that spark again!_ We both gasped and stared at each other.

"Umm… sorry. I think I shocked you." Edward apologized while he put his plate down and leaned back against the counter. He brought his right hand up and ruffled his hair, then started rubbing his neck nervously. "Well, umm, do you think… I mean, would you like…"

"Nope," Alice interrupted. "Edward, she's mine tonight. You can have her later." Wait… what was he going to say? I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes at Alice. That damn pixie. She swooped in and stole me from the kitchen right as my one and only sex-god was working really hard to ask me something. That bitch! This better be worth it.

Edward flashed that sexy, crooked smile and walked quickly out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Alice and I followed him up to the second floor and she dragged me into her room.

"The boys both have rooms on the third floor, but our rooms are on this floor. Yours is straight down the hall, on the right. Our bathroom is down the hall, on the left. We can go see your room if you want. Your bags are already in there. Edward put them in there for you when you got here." Alice kept rambling away, but I was still pissed that she'd interrupted Mr. Hotness. "Please don't be mad at me. He was only going to ask you if you wanted a tour."

I gawked at her when she said that. How could she possibly have known what he intended to say? It does make sense, though. I hadn't seen the rest of the house and I needed to know my way around. But, damn! That was definitely a buzz kill. Why couldn't I get a good read on him? One minute I would catch him staring at me, and the next, he would be deliberately looking away.

"No. That's fine. You claimed me earlier anyway," I justified. "You did say you wanted to talk. So, what do you want to talk about?" Let's get this over with.

She bounced over to her bed and plopped right in the middle. She gestured for me to have a seat in front of her and I complied.

"Well, I thought we could just have some girlie time. You know, paint our nails, listen to music, talk about boys. That kinda stuff. You can even spend the night in here if you want." Alice sat as still as she could while she stared at me expectantly.

"Okay. We'll see about the sleep over later, but the nail painting sounds like fun."

Alice started clapping and jumped off the bed to get her nail polish off her dresser. "I knew you'd say yes. You may as well go get your pajamas and your pillow because we're gonna have so much fun you won't wanna leave!"

How did she do that? It's like she knew what was coming and you couldn't get out it if you tried. I chuckled and went to my room to grab a pillow and change into my pajamas. It was a simple guest room with a full bed, dresser, and closet, and there was even a desk and chair, complete with a laptop, on the opposite wall from the closet.

_Wow! This was definitely incredible._

After returning back to Alice's room, I sat back on the bed and she immediately started in with the gossip. "We go to Forks High and you and Edward will be in the same classes. I'm only a Junior this year, but most of my friends are Seniors, so you'll fit right in. I'll introduce you to everybody when we start next week. They will all love you, I just know it!"

_Yeah, you just know everything._

"We are gonna be great friends, Bella. You have to trust me. My friends say that I'm a lot to get used to at first, but you're a smart girl, so I know it won't take you long." She smiled and pushed her bucket of nail polish over to me. "Pick out your favorite. I'll give you a full pedicure. Your feet will feel fantastic when I'm done with them." She patted my right foot as she lifted it into her lap and started working on my nails while I searched through the colors.

"Your brother Emmett is so polite. It's nice to have someone we can trust around here. Most of the kids we house are rude or scary or steal stuff, but you two are really cool. We don't have to worry about that stuff."

This girl was really growing on me. She already accepted us and she didn't even know us. I was astounded and speechless… a first for Ms. Snarky.

"Did you pick out your color?" Alice questioned as she reached for the nail polish and I handed it over. "Oooh, Sex Goddess Pink! I love this one! It'll be perfect for him."

"What? Perfect for whom?" I asked as I peered over at her.

"Oh, well, you two will figure it out soon enough." She seemed to be talking to herself then she looked up at me and continued. "I'm talking about Edward, of course. You two have an incredible pull toward each other. The strongest I've ever felt. It's only a matter of time." She shrugged her shoulders and went back to work on my toes.

"I don't think you're right about that. He's sending me mixed signals all over the place," I huffed as I fell back on the bed.

"Yeah, Edward can be quite the pussy-blocker."

I started laughing out loud when she said that. This girl was awesome! She was tiny but she was hilarious and I knew we would get along extremely well.

_Yes, Alice Cullen… I do think we will be great friends._

_

* * *

_**A/N: Well, we've met our new family, and the new kids are fitting in nicely. I wanted to give and incentive for all my readers this week, so here it goes. If you review, I promise to write back and give you a teaser for chapter 3! Please review! I love to read everything you say about my fic. You fuel my fire to write! So click for the tease!**_  
_


	3. Traitor

**A/N: Welcome back! Sorry for the wait. RL kicked my add this week, but I hope this was worth the wait. Thanks again to my lovely reviewers and to everyone who is following my fic and putting it on their favorite list. And a big Rob kiss to all my lovelies over at RAoR. Big, sloppy kisses to all of you! And, as always, thanks to my wonderful betas twifan82 and Jen's WordSong for being beyond awesome. You two are better than licking icing off of Edward.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight and all these wonderful characters. I just get to make Bella a little dirty.  
**

*~*BPOV*~*

Alice and I stayed up until three the next morning. She gave me the best pedicure I'd ever had and, she was right, the color was amazing. Plus, my feet felt incredibly soft and smooth, and I was relaxed beyond all reason. We turned out the lights around midnight, but we just kept talking and lost track of time. The last thing I remembered was Alice trying to decide which shopping center we would go to in the morning. I'm not sure if we finalized any plans, but it was the best night's sleep I'd had in a long time. Completely dreamless… or nightmare-less, whichever way you want to look at it.

When we finally woke up the next morning, it was eleven o'clock and it smelled like someone had made cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We both grabbed showers before heading downstairs, and Emmett and Edward were sitting on the living room floor completely absorbed in a head-to-head battle on the PS3. We sauntered into the kitchen and Alice pulled two plates out of the cabinet.

"Do you like cinnamon rolls?" She smirked up at me and whispered, "Edward makes the best homemade cinnamon rolls. He would absolutely kill me if he knew I told you he cooks, but they are the best in the world!" She smiled as she handed me my plate and pulled the pan out of the oven.

There were two rolls left, but these things were enormous! They were each easily the size of my head… literally, but Alice insisted that I would be able to finish one by myself and she assured me that she would under no circumstances give up any of hers. I had to see this!

We each got glasses of milk and brought our food with us in the living room to watch the boys duke it out. We positioned ourselves on either side of the plush couch and dug in to our breakfast… or was it lunch now? Oh, who cares?

I took a bigger bite than necessary, and as soon as the roll touched my tongue, I was in heaven. I closed my eyes and moaned at the taste. Alice was right; these were the best cinnamon rolls in the world. I started licking my lips to get all the icing off and was startled by Emmett screaming.

"Ha! I killed your ass! That's five to three, bro. You up for best of thirteen?" Emmett questioned and followed Edward's gaze back to the couch.

When I opened my eyes at Emmett's outburst, I looked immediately at Edward on the floor. He had turned his body slightly in my direction and he was staring up at me with his mouth barely open. He'd obviously lost interest in his game when I started eating and couldn't keep his eyes on anything else but my mouth. I finished licking my lips and felt the blush creep into my cheeks.

"Dude, are you staring at my sister?" Emmett interrupted my little moment of bliss and punched Edward in the shoulder when he didn't respond. "You better watch it, man. If she tells me to kick your ass, I will."

"Oh, shut it, meatball," I growled at Emmett. "He wasn't doing anything wrong."

"Yeah… well… he… uh… hmph," Emmett grumbled as I glared at him and turned back to the television. "Come on, Edward. Best of thirteen or what?" He was apparently pissed that I rejected his brotherly protection. I had never done that before… for any guy… ever. What was it about Edward that made me all gooey?

_Gooey like these fan-fucking-tastic cinnamon rolls. Mmmmm!_

I took another too-big bite and stared straight at Edward as I moaned again. _Damn, this boy can cook!_ As I set the roll back on my plate, a drop of icing fell on my shirt exactly where my right nipple lay underneath. I watched as Edward's eyes moved immediately to my breast and he swallowed hard. He looked like his eyes were going to bug out of his head. I placed my plate gently on my lap and brought my right hand up and pinched the icing off my shirt. With a slight twist and pull, I brought my index finger slowly to my mouth and sucked off the icing. I heard Edward gasp as I pulled my finger out of my mouth, then I bit my bottom lip while I looked down at my plate.

_Hook, line, and fucker… uh, I mean, sucker… uh, I mean... oh, crap!_

I peeked over at Alice and she was just smiling away in her own little world, acting like nothing happened. Emmett, however, was boiling mad. The skin on the back of his neck was beet red and his ears were starting to get pink. If there was one thing I knew about Emmett, it was that you never wanted his ears to get red. Pink you could deal with, but red… you were dead. So, I took the pink cue and quickly composed myself before I did anything that would make Edward jump my bones right here in the living room.

"So, Alice, did we ever come to a conclusion about which mall we're gonna raid today?" I forced my eyes to turn to Alice, and I felt Emmett relax as Edward faced the television again.

"Well, you conked out before we made a final decision, but I think we'll go to this cute little strip mall in Port Angeles. We can hit up Seattle another day when we have more time, since we already lost half of today sleeping. But they still have some perfect shops and maybe we can catch a movie before we head back." She shrugged her shoulders and stuck the final bite of her roll in her mouth.

_Holy cripes! She ate that whole thing! I can't believe she finished it… It had to be half her body weight!_

"Okay, well that sounds wonderful. I need to get some new clothes, but I don't have a lot of money, so we'll have to shop around for a re-sale store and I'll see what I can find there." Crap, this was embarrassing. I couldn't remember the last time I actually had "new" clothes. Everything I currently owned was previously worn by someone else.

I stared at my cinnamon roll as I moved it around on my plate. I didn't want to look at Alice (especially Edward) while I felt so vulnerable. _Yeah, look at me, the poor foster kid that barely has enough money and can't fend for herself._ I didn't want their pity. I wanted their compassion.

"Silly Bella," Alice chided. "Do you seriously think I would let you shop at a re-sale store? You have got to be shitting yourself. Not only will mom and dad pay for all your necessities while you're here, but I will be damned if I let you have second-hand clothes under my watch. You are way too pretty to not have top of the line couture touching your skin. I'll let mom know and we'll make a trip of it this week." She bounced up off the couch and started jumping in place. "Oooooh, we can spend the night in Seattle so we can really hit up the stores… and maybe Portland…" She trailed off as she ran in the kitchen to set down her plate and glass.

Was she for real? This family was going to pay for real "new" clothing and they weren't going to think twice about it. I couldn't quite make out if this was out of pity or did they really care about me? Well, who was I to judge?

_I'm getting new clothes, bitches!_

I finished my roll, too, much to my surprise. But, really, I couldn't let that masterpiece go to waste. It was too damn decadent… just like Edward. _Mmmm, Edward covered in icing… Edward covered in icing in my mouth… Me covered in icing in Edward's mouth. Ugh, I have got to get a life._

I quietly got up from the couch and made my way into the kitchen. Alice was perched on the island counter, listening to her ipod, swinging her legs back and forth while she hummed to herself. I placed my plate and cup in the dishwasher and turned to face her.

"What time did you want to leave, Alice?" I questioned as she took her earpieces out and looked at me.

"We can go right now, if you want. We can talk to mom later about going for our big shopping trip, but there is just something about the stores at Port Angeles that I don't want you to miss. They have some really cute shops that I know you'll love, and I need to pick out some new school essentials. This is going to be so much fun, Bella! Let's go!" She hopped off the counter and grabbed my hand to pull me toward the front door.

"Okay… I guess we're going now, then. Uh, Alice?"

She stopped and turned to face me. "Oh, yes. How could I forget? I'll lend you one of my purses for today until you buy yours." There she went again with the forethought. That must get really tiresome when someone knows everything that is going to happen. You probably couldn't surprise her if your life depended on it.

I laughed at her as she ran up the stairs to get our purses and came flying back down so fast that she almost bowled me over. "Come on, lightweight. We don't have all day, and I like my time to browse." She paused and turned toward the living room and yelled, "Bye boys! Tell mom and dad we'll be back before ten tonight!" Alice spun around and pulled my arm again as we headed out the door toward the garage.

We walked in the garage and she led me over to her car. And not just any car… no… this was a bright, canary yellow convertible Porsche. _So Alice._

"Do you drive this every day?" I couldn't help it as my jaw dropped and I gawked at the car. I didn't even want to touch it because I was afraid I might hurt the thing.

"Yeah, no biggie. It was my birthday present this year when I turned sixteen. Edward got his Volvo on his sixteenth birthday and I had to one up him, you know." She shrugged her shoulders as she opened the driver's side door and sat down behind the wheel. She pulled her sunglasses off the visor and slipped them in place, then reached down to put the keys in the ignition. "Come on, slow poke. We have places to be!" She patted the passenger seat and I opened my door to slide in.

The leather seats were so comfortable; they hugged my body in just the right way. When Alice turned the key, the car rumbled to life and I nearly jumped out of my seat. She smiled over at me and explained, "Well, what did you expect? I had to get the turbo… duh!" She chuckled as she backed out of the garage and sped toward Port Angeles.

We spent the entire day walking from store to store. Alice commented how happy she was that the sun made an appearance, and she mentioned it was only out because we (being Emmett and myself) were finally here. She warned, though, that it wouldn't last forever, and that by the time school started, we would be in dreary Forks, Washington once again.

_I wonder what else she's seen in that spiky little head of hers._

She helped me pick out a new purse and a few other "essentials," as she put it, for school. Then we got a bite to eat in this cute little Italian restaurant (I had the most amazing mushroom ravioli) and we caught a quick movie. All in all, it was an awesome day. Alice was very easy to be around… well, once you got passed the hyper. I was glad to finally have a friend other than Emmett, someone I felt comfortable enough around to relax and talk to. She may have talked my ears off, but she made for good distraction from my constant inner monologue. Alice was also a wonderful listener when I confided in her. She remembered everything I said and she "hmmm-ed" and "yeah-ed" in all the right places.

But sometimes, I just wanted to be alone to drown in my thoughts. I liked to wallow from time to time… because who doesn't really? (Yeah, right.) As much as I enjoyed my time today with Alice, one afternoon was about all I could handle of her spunky personality. After we got back home, I just wanted to be alone. Alice and Esme asked if I wanted company, but I made the excuse that I wanted to read a new book I bought today and I would catch up with them later about our future shopping trip.

I made my way up to my new room and stopped in the doorway. Maybe this really wouldn't be so bad. I mean, they gave me my own room, which hardly ever happened, and Alice already bought me a new outfit, which _never_ happened. I walked in the room, threw my shopping bags on the floor and fell sideways on the bed. I needed to think about some things, specifically my revenge for Emmett's pigheaded behavior, but that would only take about ten minutes and I couldn't stand that much free time.

Bad things happened when I had too much alone time. I thought about my parents a lot, which wasn't necessarily something I hated doing, but it inevitably resulted in reliving that night, which ultimately led to more nightmares. And nightmares meant crazy Bella, and I didn't want my new family to know about her just yet.

After I stared at the ceiling for ten minutes, I lazily got up and brought my legs up underneath me so I sat Indian style near the foot of the bed. I faced the door and I started looking around the room at all my new things. _Wow! My new things!_ On the same wall as the door and to the left, was my six drawer dresser. It was made out of cherry wood and had ornate silver handles hanging from each drawer. On the wall to my right, was my desk and chair. The desk seemed to be made out of the same material as the dresser, complete with matching silver handles. The chair was a simple, black desk chair with four rollers attached at the feet. And, of course, there was my laptop, perched on top of the desk to the right of a light-blue reading lamp. Above the desk was my window, which looked out into the backyard. It was framed with light-blue curtains that were gathered in the middle and pinned up on either side. There were simple wood blinds against the window that were left open so natural light could enter the room.

I was never much for leaving blinds open at night. I always felt like someone was watching me and it just plain creeped me out, so I got up off the bed and went over to the blinds to shut them. When I turned around, I was facing the closet, and since I was already standing, I decided I may as well put away all my belongings. I grabbed my bags off the floor and opened the sliding door of the closet and gasped at what I saw. I suddenly dropped the bags and took a step inside the biggest walk-in closet I had ever seen. This thing was easily the same size as my room and it was already stocked full of clothes and shoes. I took a few more steps in and noticed that all the clothes still had tags and appeared to be new.

_Jackpot, baby!!_

I pulled one of the shirts off a hanger and looked at the tag… sure enough, my size. I started frantically looking through the rest of the tags and realized everything was picked out just for me. All of it would fit me perfectly, even the shoes, and it all seemed to be top of the line designer clothing.

_Alice... my hero!_

Yet again, I found myself getting overwhelmed at how this family treated me. I never expected this in a million years (yeah, cliché… I know), and I'd begun to feel tears well up in my eyes at the simple gesture of getting new clothes. I crumbled to the floor in the middle of the closet and started crying. I buried my face in my hands to muffle my sobs and curled into the fetal position as my stomach churned.

_I can't believe how lucky I am._

Emmett and I only dreamed this would happen… move in with a wonderful family that cared about us and treated us like real human beings – a family that would treat us better than their dog (which rarely occurred), and took the time to do special things just for us. What a fucked up life we'd had! And to think we were almost done with the shit DFS put us through, only to have the shortest stay with the best family.

_This was wrong on so many levels._

I started sobbing uncontrollably and trembling from the fear that it would all be taken away from us. I couldn't handle another move. I wouldn't survive it. My life would cease to exist and I would slowly slip away into nothingness. And no one would care. No one would know that Bella disappeared. I would be forgotten just like yesterday's news and my insignificant existence would no longer plague anyone.

I was lost in my thoughts when I felt someone touch my shoulder. _I am so not in the mood for Emmett's shenanigans right now._ "Emmett… please, go away," I spoke through my sobs. "I just want to be alone."

"It's not Emmett." Oh shit!

I cautiously lifted my face from my hands and peered up at Mr. Sex-hair himself. He was kneeling beside me, still with his hand on my shoulder, and he looked…. worried… concerned… like he cared… about _me_. I quickly hid my face in my hands again. He shouldn't have seen me like this… all red-eyed and scared. Why did I have to be such a girl sometimes, all emotional and crazy? Damn hormones!

"Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?" Edward broke the silence and tried to get my hands away from my face by pulling at my wrists.

"No… no one hurt me. I really just need some time to myself." My voice was muffled as I resisted his attempts at revealing my face.

What had I gotten myself into? I was lying on the floor curled into a ball with my hands over my face, weeping like a little girl, and I couldn't build up enough strength to move. I felt so helpless, so weak, so embarrassed. Why did he have to be the one that found me? Why couldn't it have been Emmett… or Alice, even? Why did he have to be so freaking hot and make me forget how to speak?

_Yep… I hate my life._

"Do you want to talk about it?" Edward released my wrists and I heard him shuffle as he sat next to me on the floor.

"There's really nothing to talk about," I mumbled. "Just stupid girlie emotions getting the best of me."

"Oh… well, if you don't want to talk… that's fine." Edward hesitated for a moment, shifted his body slightly and continued, "But would it be okay if I just sat here with you?"

Oh. My. God. Edward was not only the hottest person in the history of the world, but he had a sweet side, too. Major swoon! _Why am I so neurotic? Did I mention I hate my life?_

Why would he want to waste his time with someone like me? A loner that had a miserable existence (well, up until now), only her brother as a friend (up until now), and with no one to love her or care about her (until now)? _I think I'm sensing a pattern here._

Edward just sat there, not moving, not saying a word. I actually thought he'd left at one point until I heard him clear his throat. After about fifteen minutes of wallowing in my own self pity, I rolled onto my back and wiped my eyes on my shirt sleeve. I kept my eyes closed as I slowly sat up and pulled my knees to my chest. I wrapped my arms around my legs and rested my head on my knees, and not once did I look over at Edward. I didn't want him to see me like this. How ugly I must have looked. Puffy eyes, blotchy face, tear stained cheeks.

_Total sex-goddess… yeah right._

I decided I better try to redeem myself before he thought I was a complete waste of space, so I tried to start up a conversation. "I'm sorry I'm such a spaz. I promise this won't happen again." I raised my head and opened my eyes and was blinded by those beautiful green eyes. So understanding. He had a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips and I noticed he was sitting the exact same way I was.

"I thought you were never gonna talk. It was driving me crazy! I almost started begging you to say something." Edward relaxed his legs and moved them into Indian style while clasping his fingers, laying his hands in his lap and resting his elbows on his knees. He had a gentle smile on his face and I couldn't help but grin back.

"I just didn't expect anyone to find me in here. I came in here to put away my new clothes and found all of this," I gestured to the clothes and shoes already on the shelves. "None of our other families ever did anything like this. I mean… Emmett and I haven't had new clothes since we were thirteen." I stopped and cringed. I felt so comfortable around Edward that I started telling him my life story. _Wow… this sucks._

"Oh… umm… My parents believe in making everyone feel at home, and that includes clothing and all the necessities while you're here. Is this stuff not what you like? They left the tags on in case you wanted…"

"No!" I interrupted him. "Everything is more than perfect. That was actually why I was so upset. I am completely touched by the gesture."

"So, you started crying? That really doesn't make sense. If you appreciated it, shouldn't you be smiling?" Edward looked incredibly confused. He even cocked his head slightly to the side and his forehead creased when his bottom lip pouted. _Damn, he's hot!_

"Well, I can't believe I'm this lucky… to have been placed with such a great family." I sighed and continued, "I just don't want to wake up and have it all taken away. I couldn't handle another move." I looked away from his face as I felt tears well up in my eyes again. _Dammit!_

"Who said you would have to move? My parents have never kicked anyone out. Not even that kid, Alec, who stole my dad's signed Babe Ruth baseball card and pawned it for pot money." He huffed and scowled as he looked down at his shoes.

"Wow… your parents are amazing! I would've sent that douchebag packing. Emmett and I got removed from a house because they thought he stole a necklace, but it was really their own daughter." I looked back up at Edward and he looked surprised.

"Oh… so that part of his record is false, then." He continued to look puzzled as he played with his shoelace.

"What? You've seen our records?" I yelped and shot up from the floor. I stood up as fast as humanly possible and wobbled at the sudden change in position. Edward stood up, too, and quickly went to steady me so I wouldn't plop down on my ass again.

"Well… yeah. We always get the records for the kids we take in. It's part of the process." He stared down at me and held onto my elbow as I started to waver again.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed as I pulled away from his hand. "I can't believe you! You looked through our personal files and now you think you know who we are!?" I backed away and left the closet. I was beyond annoyed at his intrusion of privacy. He knew more about us than he let on, and he still wanted me to trust him.

_Asshole!_

"I don't understand? Why are you so mad?" Edward followed me out of the closet and through my bedroom door. I stormed down the stairs and through the kitchen and slammed through the front door, but I couldn't lose him. He stayed right on my heels the entire time.

"Bella," Edward yelled at me as I raced toward the garage. "I need you to listen to me!" He grabbed my arm before I opened the door and spun me around to face him.

"I don't want to hear it, Edward," I spat as I looked straight into his eyes and pulled away from his hand. "You're right about one thing, though. You don't understand. You will never understand what my life has been like since _it_ happened. All you've ever had is a perfect life. Someone who always tells you they love you. Someone who takes care of you no matter what. Someone who gives you a fucking car for you birthday!" I felt tears stream down my face, but I didn't let that stop my rant.

"You will never know what it feels like to be shipped to different families that hate you before they even meet you. Families that beat the shit out of you daily and make you sleep on the floor with no blanket or pillow. You will never know what it feels like to fear for your life every single day because the bastard that killed your parents is searching for you to finish the job. And you will never know what it feels like to have someone look through your personal information and believe every word of it as fact, and not think to check that it's the truth. Well, I'm sorry you think I'm here to make your life a living hell. After what I just found out, I hope I make your dreams come true!"

I turned for the door of the garage and threw it open as I ran inside. I was seething as I paced back and forth along the back wall of the garage. I couldn't believe he would read our files and believe them. He must've thought we were just like all the other kids… rotten to the core… always getting into trouble and fucking things up for him. Why did he have to believe that? Why did he even read it in the first place? What the hell made him think he had the _right_ to read it?

_I can't believe I actually liked him._

Edward didn't follow me in at first, he just stood outside in the dark mulling over all the information I shoved at him. Maybe he'd just leave me alone from now on so I wouldn't have to deal with his uptight shit. I shouldn't have to. He was the one with his head up his ass. I just had to put up with his presence till the end of the school year and then I would be on my own. He would believe what he wanted and I would have my sanity (or at least what was left of it).

As I fumed, I'd begun thinking about Emmett and wondered if he'd talked to Edward about any of this. My guess was Emmett hadn't said a word because he wanted everyone to just forget about the past and believe he truly was a good kid. Well, I wouldn't be the one to break the news to him that Edward already thought he was a bad seed. I didn't want to be there when he found out either. Emmett would be devastated. I could tell he thought he and Edward were really getting along and he finally felt like he belonged. _ Tough luck, kid… Edward's a dick! Yeah, that would go over _real_ well. _

That thought made me furious at Edward. How could he hurt Emmett like that? I wanted to beat the living shit out of Edward for betraying our trust. I wanted Edward to know exactly how much I loathed him for what he did. As I headed to confront Edward outside, the side door to the garage opened and Edward stepped inside. He stopped just within the door and let it close behind him. He put his hands in his pockets and looked straight at me while he bit his bottom lip. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he finally built up enough courage to speak.

"Bella… I… please…. listen."

**A/N: Alright... don't all go throwing stones at once. I had to do it, or this chapter would have been a monster. I promise the next update will be very soon. Review and let me know how much you hate me (or love me), but know that I love all of you and send you wishes of schmexy Edward dreams!**

**Rec' time: I have picked up on a little FF I think everyone should check out: _Untouchable_ by ElspethGordie. Her story line is very unique and I really like her ExB connection. So, check it out and drop her some reviews.**


	4. Misunderstanding

**A/N: Sorry again for the even longer wait for this update. I was swamped with RL. Anyway, I was overwhelmed with the response after last chapter! I got validated on Twilighted (link in my profile) YAY! And you people flew out of the wood work with favorites and story alerts. THANK YOU!! Many Edward spanks to you all for making me giddy like a 12 year old girl! And as always, a huge shout out to my betas twifan82, Jen's WordSong, and Jenny Cullen for being awesome and taking time out of their busy lives to help me with my little fic. You three make me all kinds a tingly *wink***

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. Lucky bitch... but I love her for the license to perv up her characters.**

*~*EPOV*~*

This girl was driving me crazy! I couldn't seem to get a good read on her at all. One minute she was all nervous and shy, biting her lip and staring at the floor, and the next she was sticking her ass in my face and sucking icing off her finger. What the fuck?! Just the thought of her little stunt this morning almost made me bust out of my pants.

_Ungh… I need a long shower._

I had no idea what to do about her, either. I mean, I liked her… a lot… and not just because she was beautiful, but because I wanted to see inside that sexy little head of hers. She was a massive mystery to me and I had to unlock her secrets.

On another front, Emmett and I seemed to be getting along pretty well. I showed him up to his room while the girls were gone in Port Angeles, and he was really stoked about all the clothes, but especially the laptop. Then, we went back downstairs to raid the pantry and decided to exert our maleness with another battle on the PS3.

He really didn't act like the kid from his file at all. He acted like a stand-up kid that could really be a good friend. Or maybe it _was_ all an act… only time would tell. I wasn't one hundred percent sure about him yet; he still had to prove his worthiness, and only then would I lend him my trust.

After playing on the PS3 most of the day, we chatted for a while in the living room before heading to our respective rooms for the night. Emmett talked about going out for football, and was super excited when I told him Forks High had the number one team in the state last year.

"No way! That's awesome!" Emmett exclaimed while he punched me in the arm.

_Shit!_

I flinched and rubbed my arm as I replied, "Yeah, they really wanna keep it up this year, too, so you better be good. They don't let just anybody on the team, man."

"Dude! Are you stupid? I'm a freaking force on the field. They'll be begging me to join the team after they see my skills." Emmett guffawed and raised his fist in the air for what I thought was going to result in another bruise on my shoulder, but it just kind of stayed mid air while he laughed and looked at me expectantly.

"Come on, man. Fist bump," Emmett explained, smiling.

_Oh… yeah… right._

I granted him his "fist bump" and glanced over at the clock. "Hey, man. I gotta send off some emails, so I'm gonna head upstairs if you don't mind." I was really enjoying the testosterone-filled-male-bonding experience, but I had to get upstairs and do some thinking about what a wild day I'd had.

"Sure man. That's cool. I'll just check out my laptop, too. I'll see you in the morning for a rematch on this bad boy." He pointed to the PS3 and winked. "And this time, I will totally kick your ass!"

I smiled and chuckled. "Okay, that's a deal. But you can't say I didn't warn you when I actually wipe the floor with you."

Emmett's laugh boomed through the room as he stood up from the floor and walked up the stairs. "Night, man," Emmett said as he turned on the landing and went up to the third floor.

"Yeah… night," I replied as I made my way up and said good night to Alice and mom while they planned one of their famous shopping trips to Seattle. _I wonder if I'm going to get dragged along to carry bags again._

Right before I took the first step onto the stairs to the third floor, I heard a thud come from Bella's room. I stopped and turned for her room, looking behind me, making sure no one would follow. _Stealth mode!_ As I sneaked toward her door, I heard muffled whimpering and started getting extremely anxious. _Why was she crying? What happened? Did someone hurt her? I'll kill them!_

_Woah… where did that come from?_

When I entered her room, I looked around and didn't see her anywhere. Everything seemed to be in the right place. The covers on her bed were slightly crinkled, but not completely disheveled. The blinds on her window were closed and still, and her desk was neat and orderly. Then, I looked toward her closet and the door was ajar, being kept open by shopping bags in disarray on the floor. I inched over to her closet and slowly opened the door and peered inside. Bella was lying in a heap on the floor, her face buried in her hands, sobbing and trembling.

_Crap!_

All I could think was that I had to make her feel better. I needed to be there for her and comfort her. I had to protect her, keep her safe.

She hadn't made any indication that she heard me approach, so I went by her side, knelt down, and put my hand on her shoulder, trying not to startle her. Bella shifted slightly under my touch, but didn't move her hands away from her face. Then, she tried to get me to leave… well, she tried to get Emmett away, but when I told her I wasn't Emmett, I felt her freeze and she immediately stopped sobbing.

I wasn't quite sure how to take that. I didn't want her to be angry with me for finding her, but I also didn't want her to send me away. I looked down at her, and she uncovered her face for a quick second, only to hide away again under her makeshift shield. I needed to know why she was so upset, so I questioned her, and she said the one thing I didn't want to hear… she just wanted to be by herself. Well, I wasn't ready to give up that easily, so I asked if she wanted to talk about it, thinking she would surely open up at the invitation. But she turned me down again, blaming it on hormones.

_Damn… she never does what I think she will._

After my futile attempts at getting her to talk, I offered to sit quietly next to her. So… we sat. Well, I sat with my knees up and my arms wrapped around my legs, and she continued to lie in her heap on the floor with her hands covering her face, but at least she didn't make me leave.

And then… utter silence. Every once in a while, I would hear Bella sniff or scoot on the floor, but the silence was driving me crazy. I was really beginning to think she fell asleep, so I cleared my throat to see if she would say _anything_, but even that didn't bring her out of her self-induced verbal coma. Just when I was about to ask her if she really wanted me there, she rolled onto her back, wiped her eyes, and slowly sat up, bringing her knees to her chest and encircling her arms around them. She never opened her eyes while she moved, and she placed her face down on her knees, right out of my view again. She spoke into her knees, apologizing for her meltdown, then, she lifted her head slowly and stared into my eyes.

As I looked over at her, I couldn't help but smile as I noticed we sat the same way. Her face was flushed and tear-streaked, but I had the strongest urge to move closer, kiss her cheeks and tell her it would be alright.

_Man… I'm losing my freakin' mind!_

I repositioned myself and smiled over at her while we talked about what bothered her. She told me about her previous families and how none of them were very hospitable. I explained that my parents believed in making every foster kid feel at home, and that she wouldn't have to worry about any necessities while she was here. Then, she started talking about her and Emmett's records and I opened my big, stupid mouth and mentioned I'd already seen them.

_Big mistake, dumbass!_

I'd never seen anyone move so fast, well, other than Alice, but she was a freak of nature. I quickly stood up next to Bella to steady her before she lost her footing, and before I knew it, I was chasing a very red-faced, pissed off girl down the steps and out of the house.

I had no idea where she was going, so I raced up behind her and grabbed her arm as she reached the garage. I turned her so she faced me and pleaded with her to talk to me. Before I got another word in, she pulled out of my grasp and went on a tirade about her former life. She screamed at me and started crying again while she stamped her foot and pointed her finger in my face. She promised to make my life a living hell for what I did, and all I could do was stand in front of her, completely stunned that I made her feel that way.

_Like I said… dumbass._

Then, she stormed away from me into the garage and I couldn't move. I was so shocked by what just happened that I literally could not get my feet to respond to my brain's instructions to follow her. I stayed outside in the complete darkness while Bella burned off steam inside the garage.

As I stood there motionless, my mind worked at warp speed on how I could fix what just happened. I had to rectify the situation. I truly felt like my life depended on it, but for the love of all that was holy, I had no idea what made me think that. I had to make Bella trust me… it was vital to my existence, for some unknown reason. I had to protect her… even it was from me.

I turned to the door and opened it as I walked inside the garage. Bella looked like she was on a mission but stopped dead in her tracks when I entered. I looked up at her and saw how mad she really was. Her face was bright red and she looked that she wanted to rip me to shreds. Her hands were in fists by her sides and she was shaking slightly where she stood.

I didn't want to aggravate my situation, so I paused just inside the door and tried to compose myself before talking.

"Bella… I… please…. listen." I stammered my words as I ran my fingers through my hair and stared at the floor. I waited for Bella to start throwing punches, but they never came. I peeked up at her and I noticed she hadn't moved at all, so I figured she would at least listen for a while.

"I just want you to hear me out." I sighed, then continued. "I want… no, I _need_ you to trust me... I didn't maliciously look into your personal file." Bella huffed when I said that and crossed her arms over her chest. I could tell I was getting nowhere fast, so I changed my tactic on the spot.

"Bella… my father gives us the files before we accept any new kids into the house."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head while she said, "You expect me to believe that? Why would he want you to be snooping around in other people's personal lives?"

I knew the answer, but I hesitated. Did I want her to know the truth? Yes… she had to know. I needed her to trust me, to believe me.

"When we tell DFS we'll take new kids, they send us files of prospective wards that need transfers. My father wants everyone in the house to agree on who we allow to stay with us, so… he makes us read the files. He wants us to be… informed, if you will, so we know what we're getting ourselves into." I paused for her reaction, hoping for the best.

"So, Carlisle gets all these different files of poor, unsuspecting foster kids and you guys just pick and choose who you think you want to come live at your perfect little mansion?" She glared at me and started screaming, "What do you think we are… lost dogs in a kennel, and you can just read our papers and look at some pictures, then decide which of us are the cutest and take us home because we won't piss on your carpets? I can't believe this!" She threw her hands in the air, and then brought the heels of her hands down to rub her eyes.

_Battleship down! Time for the recon mission._

"That's not it at all." I moved forward and stepped closer to Bella. I stood directly in front of her as I whispered, "Please understand. We take the kids that need the most help… the kids that have had the roughest time. We want these kids to know that foster care isn't as bad as they've experienced before." I paused as my mind raced to find explanations that would get Bella to see my side. I was desperate for her to believe me. "We… I mean… I need you to… to trust me."

She slowly dropped her hands from her face and looked up at me from under her dark eyelashes. A single tear crept down her cheek as she worried her bottom lip and pulled at the edge of her shirt. I waited for her to say something, and my heart sped when I started thinking she would run again.

"Bella… I…"

"I just don't understand how you could believe what our files say," she interrupted as she stared up at me. She looked so sad, so completely hurt, that my heart ached and my stomach churned. I didn't want her to feel rejected or pitied. I only wanted her to feel like she finally belonged somewhere, like we cared about her and her well being.

"Bella," I started as I raised my hand and gently pushed a wayward strand of hair off her face and curled it around her ear. "Please, don't be upset. We chose you and Emmett because we know what a rough time you've had with other families. And… what happened with… with…"

"With my parents," Bella finished my thought and turned away from me to sit on the bench next to the back wall. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them while she rested her head on her legs.

"Um… yeah. Well, that was a deciding factor for my mother and father. They wanted you to have some of your original family life back the way it was before… _it_ happened." I walked over to the bench and sat next to her. I clasped my hands and bent forward to rest my elbows on my knees as I stared at my shoes. I continued, "Nobody knows what really happened, you know. Your record only states that your parents are deceased and that you're required to visit with therapists once a month."

"What else does it say? Does it say that I'm difficult and don't volunteer any information to the shrink?" Bella mumbled into her knees and I could tell she was crying again as her words broke when she spoke.

"It does say that you're reluctant to share information, but it doesn't say that's bad." I paused for a moment while I debated what other information to divulge. _Better to get it all out in the open now, or she'll have my junk for a snack._

"It also says that the guy… the one that… well, he's still out there, and that's why you've been moved so frequently. Does he keep finding you?" I questioned as I sat back against the wall and looked down at her.

She lifted her face and rested her chin on her knees while she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "Yeah, he keeps figuring out where we are. It's like he has a sixth sense about how to find people. But then he always escapes right before the cops find him. It's freakin' ridiculous, really."

"Actually, it sounds really frightening. Aren't you scared?"

"Every second is torture. I think we've learned to live with it pretty well, though," she justified and rested her back against the wall while keeping her arms around her knees and staring straight ahead. "It's kinda become part of our life to expect him to show up. I'm just getting tired of it… all the running. I don't always want to be scared and have to hide away. I just want to be normal for a while and not fear for my life." She sighed and dropped her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. "But… what else do our files say?"

I sucked in as much air as my lungs could manage and held my breath. I knew she would ask this, I just wasn't ready for it. Truth was, Bella's record was pretty clean, but Emmett's was full of shit he'd done wrong. _Well, here goes nothing._

"Uh, well, yours just says that you got in trouble once for locking yourself in a room for over three days while you taunted DFS officials. Otherwise, your record is clean." I closed my eyes and hoped this was an acceptable response.

"Did the record say why I locked myself in my room?" I heard her shuffle around on the bench while she waited for my reply.

"Um… no. The files are never that detailed."

"Well, those DFS fuckers wanted to ship Emmett and me to different corners of the country. We were picketing the move and refused to be separated. There's no way we could stand to be apart from each other for that long. Did the record also say that they refused to give us food until we came out of the room?"

_Oh, well that's new. I wonder what else DFS tried to cover up as Bella and Emmett's fault?_

"Does Emmett know you've seen his file?"

_Dammit! How does she know to ask the questions I don't want to touch with a ten foot pole?_

"Uh, no… well, Emmett's file is pretty much the same as yours. The same demographics and all, but his is a few pages longer." I stopped at that and cringed, not wanting to give too much away. She was handling all of the news fairly well about _her_ record, but I had a feeling she wouldn't act the same about Emmett's.

"What do you mean it's longer?"

_Oh crap… here we go._

"Emmett's file has all the DFS reports of his misdemeanors… his stealing, kids he beat up, drinking, drugs…"

"What?!" Bella yelped and jumped up from the bench. My eyes snapped open, and she was standing in front of me, fuming. "Emmett has never stolen anything… it was always the other kids, and the shitfaced parents were never gonna blame their own kids. And he _never_ touched alcohol or drugs. We saw how fucked up that made some of the foster parents, and he received the brunt of the attacks from the fathers when they were under the influence." She grimaced and looked away. "Those lousy mother fuckers!" She started pacing back and forth in front of me, mumbling under her breath, while I stood up from the bench and positioned myself between her and the side door.

I wouldn't let her run again. I had to make sure she stayed where I knew she was safe. If she started running into the woods, it might be days before we found her again, and that was just too risky.

"Bella, you need to calm down. I believe you. I know you wouldn't lie about what happened. Please, trust me," I pleaded with her as I stepped toward her and grabbed her shoulders with my hands to end her pacing.

She froze immediately and gazed straight into my eyes. She looked furious, but I could tell she was hurting inside. Her eyes were glossy with fresh tears and her cheeks were red and flushed. I needed to hear her tell me she trusted me, that she didn't care I'd read the files.

"Bella, please say something… anything." I stared down at her and felt my breathing pick up as time seemed to stop.

"I… I… yes," she whispered as she peered up at me and placed one hand on my cheek. "I trust you believe me. And it doesn't matter that you read our files… not anymore. What's done is done and nothing will change that." She dropped her hand and shrugged out of my grip on her shoulders. "I… I have to go… back inside. I need to be alone for a while." She dropped her gaze to the floor and slowly walked passed me to the door and out of the garage.

I turned and followed her into the house and made sure she was safely in her room before heading upstairs to mine. I had no idea what had gotten into me. My world was turning upside down. It was like she came into my life for a reason, and suddenly, I felt very protective of her.

*~*BPOV*~*

This night just wouldn't die.

I'd had an okay start to the day… I slept in late, ate some delightfully sinful cinnamon rolls, and got a whole new closet's worth of clothes. But then, Mr. Sex-God dropped the bomb that he'd seen our files and I lost it like a hooker with no crack.

Needless to say, I regretted going all schizophrenic on Edward, but there was something about him I couldn't quite place. I just couldn't keep my mouth shut when I was near him. My brain went all mushy and my verbal diarrhea went out of control. I was so overwhelmed with the news about our files, not to mention the fact that Edward was massive amounts of hotness when he looked concerned for me, that I started spewing information about my life while I screamed at him outside.

_Yep… no brain filter._

After he confronted me inside the garage, I felt like a total dweeb for jumping to conclusions. Don't get me wrong… I was still upset that he looked at our files and believed the records in the first place, but when he started talking about why his family had chosen us, I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. But, as much as I felt like an idiot, it was nothing compared to the way Edward looked. Every time I peeked up at him, he seemed consumed with worry. He almost looked panicked, like he thought I was going to run screaming from the room with every new admission he revealed about our files. Little did he know, I was desperately trying to get him to believe my side of the records… the true side. I didn't want him to think Emmett and I were trouble makers, and I was anxious that he wouldn't trust a word I'd said and try to get us kicked out of the house.

In truth, there was no way I wanted to leave, let alone run screaming for the hills. The house was very well secluded, in the middle of nowhere, and surrounded by thick forests. That was all too familiar to me. I relived the same scene over and over again in my nightmares, and I wasn't strong enough to handle that scene again in real life. I needed this family like I needed air. I was just hanging on to the hope that this wasn't all a dream.

_But what an awesome dream it's been._

When I told Edward I trusted him and it didn't matter that he read the files, I was holding myself back from pulling him down and kissing him. I don't know what possessed me to touch his cheek, but his stubble was screaming at me and he looked so overwhelmed with concern that I had to comfort him. His eyes were wide with fear and his lips were pouted in such a delicious way that it took all I had not to pull him toward me and make him feel all better.

_Damn… I wonder if they feel as soft as they look._

I knew I had to get out of that garage, and fast, before I did something we would both regret, so I pushed passed Edward and made my way back into the house. As I walked to my room, Edward followed me without saying a word. He stood on the landing of the second floor, running his fingers through his hair, and watched me as I went in my room, turned on the light, and slowly shut my door. I leaned my back against it, and after a few seconds, I heard Edward make his way up the stairs and go into his room.

I pushed myself away from the door, leaving the light on. It was nights like these that I had to sleep with my light on. It may not have kept the nightmares away, but it at least helped me get to sleep in the first place.

Shuffling to the bed, I crawled under the fluffy comforter and dropped my head on the pillow. I started thinking over everything that happened since Alice and I returned tonight. Not only was I a complete basket-case, but I'd opened up more to Edward than I had to any of the shrinks in the past five years. He just oozed kindness and understanding and I felt like he would listen without judging me.

And that's all I ever wanted. Someone that would just listen and accept me with all my faults and crazy-ass behavior. Someone that would just sit with me if I didn't really want to talk and wait for me to be comfortable and open up at my own pace, not some therapist that was planned months in advance and expected me to spill my guts on their schedule. Most of the psychiatrists had one hour time blocks set aside where they would politely introduce themselves and try to build a rapport with us for the first thirty minutes, while we desperately tried to stay awake. Then, the last half hour was spent with Emmett and me twiddling our thumbs and saying literally about four words in response to their inane questions. _Riveting._

As a general rule, Emmett was my therapist, and I was his. We confided in each other for everything because we trusted each other implicitly, and because we were the only people that truly knew what happened. If one of us needed to talk, the other one would just "be there" and listen, not interrupting.

Unfortunately, we were beginning to drift away from that. We were both starting to feel like we needed our space, like we needed to find resolution in our lives… on our own. We needed to feel like an individual rather than feeling like we were weighing the other person down.

But the one thing I needed more than anything was for Edward to be my resolution, my reassurance… and that scared me shitless. I barely knew him, and I already wanted to bare my soul to him. I wanted him to comfort me, to trust me, to… love me. I wanted him to be that someone I could run to when I needed to feel safe.

And Edward did make me feel safe. When he gripped my shoulders in the garage, a crushing sense of calm rocked through my body. I immediately felt like all my fears slipped away and everything would be fine as long as he held me. I instantly wanted to be wrapped in his arms and never leave. I wanted him to be my solace, my refuge from this pitiful existence I succumbed to every day.

And he was right, too… I needed to trust him, needed to believe that he trusted me. We had to be in each others' lives, and it didn't matter that he read my file. No… I'd made up my mind. No matter how scared I was that he knew about my prior life, it didn't make a difference about how he made me feel… about how I felt about him.

_Ungh… and the things I felt about him. Crap! Stay on track, Bella._

From now on, I would be in Edward's life and he would be in mine. I didn't know much about him, but I was certain I couldn't live without him. I was hopelessly, irrevocably, and undeniably in love with Edward Cullen.

While I was lost in my musings, I heard a soft knock at my door. _What now!?_

"Hey, Bella. Can I come in?" _Oh no!_

**A/N: Yes, another cliffie. But I do love them so. Chapter 5 will be up in the next couple of days, just tweaking it a little. Who doesn't love a little tweak now and then?! So, let me know what you think. I do love the reviews... they're better than a fist bump from Emmett.**

**Rec time: If you haven't already, please stop by my beta's profile (Jen's WordSong) and read her shizz. She is completely awesome and I am forever indebted to her for helping me out. She also wrote a little piece of genius she calls _Seers of Light_, and it is her first publication outside of the Twilight world. So, give that a read, too. It will blow your mind! She's currently writing sequelage for this series and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for more!**


	5. Unstable

**A/N: Well, hello again! Sorry for the wait. My fabulous beta has been swamped with her RL sequel deadline and I didn't want to get in her way 'cus I can't wait for that sucker to get out! If you haven't read _Seers of Light_ yet... what are you waiting for?**

**I can't thank you all enough for the alerts and favorites for my fic! You all make my heart smile!**

**As always, big, juicy Edward kisses to my betas, twifan82 and Jen's WordSong. You two are the shit!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own the nightmares.**

**Warning: This is violent/gory... just saying.  


* * *

***~*BPOV*~*

"Hey, Bella. Can I come in?" _Oh no! This can't be happening!_

I curled my body tighter under the comforter on my bed and pulled it up so only my face was peeking out. At the moment, I couldn't handle anything else. I was emotionally spent and exhausted and really wasn't in the mood for anymore life altering epiphanies that night. _A girl can only take so much._

I buried my face in the pillow and sighed, "Come in." _Shit, shit, shit!_

I heard the door handle turn and the door slowly opened. He walked just inside my room and stopped.

"Are you okay?" he asked moving over to my desk and pulled out the chair to sit down.

I kept my face buried in the pillow and mumbled, "Well, if emotionally unstable is okay, then… yes, Emmett… I'm fucking spectacular."

"Bella, you've always been emotionally unstable. What's new about that?" He chuckled and rolled the desk chair closer to the head of my bed. "What I meant was… what happened tonight?"

As much as I loved Emmett, there were some times when I just didn't want to talk to him. Tonight was definitely one of those times. I was completely overwhelmed about my revelations and I really didn't want Emmett to know what happened. I didn't want him upset with Edward for no reason, and I definitely didn't want him to know I was in love with Edward. That would be sure to set him off, and Emmett wasn't known for controlling his temper before it got the best of him.

I turned my face toward Emmett while keeping my eyes closed and said, "Em… I really don't want to talk about it. I mean… I'm fine and I just have a lot of stuff in my head right now that I need to think through."

"Oh… um… well, if you don't want to talk, then I'll just go back upstairs." I heard him slowly roll the chair back over to my desk and get up. I opened my eyes and saw him walking toward the door. He turned around to face me and whispered, "You know where to find me if you need me. 'Kay, Bells?"

He looked so sad, like I'd just ripped out his heart and stomped on it. The way his face scrunched up was pitiful. I felt terrible and I didn't want to be responsible for that face. I quickly sat up in the bed, propping myself up on my elbows and stared straight at him. "Aw, Emmett. Don't be like that. You know I love talking with you. It's just… just… I don't really know what to say right now, 'kay?"

"Yeah, fine… whatever, Bells. I know you'll find me when you're ready. You always do."

As he turned for the door again, I threw off my covers and jumped off the bed. I couldn't let him leave like that, all puppy-dog-faced and pathetic. I ran up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist to pull him in for a hug.

"Emmett, you know I love you, and you know I'll find you when I'm ready to talk. Just give me my time, okay?" I felt him slump forward and turn to face me. He put his arms around my shoulders while I buried my face in his chest. I felt him pat the top of my head with his hand as he spoke.

"Yeah, I do. I just wanted to help. When I heard you screaming outside, I got worried. But I know you're a big girl and can fend for yourself. Just don't let him hurt you, okay? I can't watch you in pain again." He stopped and I looked up at him as he gripped my shoulders and held me out in front of him. "Just find me when you're ready, all right?"

I smiled up at him and punched him square in the shoulder. "You know I will, you big teddy bear. Don't worry."

He smiled back and said, "Okay… well, enjoy your new digs in the meantime. That shit is amazing!" He loosened his grip on my shoulders as he righted me in the doorway and returned my punch from earlier.

"Shit, Emmett!" I yelped, rubbing my shoulder. _That really hurt_. "You know I'm a girl. I'm not designed to take a beating like that." _You big dipshit._

Emmett guffawed and turned for the stairs. "I'll see you in the morning, Bella… 'night"

"Good night." I shut my door, headed back to the bed and crawled under the covers again. I would have to tell Emmett soon enough and I was sure he wouldn't take it any better when I finally got around to it. The one thing about Emmett that I loved the most was that he didn't push me. He knew my limits and I knew his. If I said I was done, he would let me be. He also was a lot like our dad, too, in the way that sometimes he liked being in the dark about my issues. Less is more in his mind. So what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him… right?

_Ugh… I'm not looking forward to that conversation._

I would have to deal with that later. _Right now, I need my sleep, so I can deal with Alice tomorrow to finish planning our shopping trip. Damn hyper pixie._ That would be exhausting enough with a full night's sleep.

_I just hope I _can_ sleep._

_Darkness._

_The moon is not in the sky and the only light that I can see is the bulb dimly shining near the door of the cabin. I stare at the cabin from the tree line. Emmett is behind me carrying mom but I can't be bothered with them right now. It barely registers that Emmett is calling out to me as I inch forward toward the cabin._

_Must save Charlie. Must save Charlie. Must save Charlie._

_I take the three stairs up to the deck and shuffle to the door. Through the door, I hear Charlie pleading again, gurgling through every word. I peek through the window to the right and stare into the cabin. _

_James is standing in the middle of the room, hovering over Charlie who is slumped on the floor in a pool of blood. He lifts the chainsaw in his left hand. Charlie tries to lift his right hand, but it quickly falls to the floor._

"_I have waited years to do this. I love seeing you in pain. It's payback for the pain I suffered. The pain you put me through, you stupid, pathetic waste of a pig!" James scowls at Charlie. Charlie gurgles and rolls on his right side, blood trickling out of his mouth. "Now, I take my revenge."_

_Everything is in slow motion. James lowers the chainsaw toward my father's body and I scream, "No!" He stops and turns to the window, with a wicked smile on his bloodied face. He starts walking toward me as he smirks and mumbles something under his breath._

_I hear the door open to my left and I turn toward the noise. James is standing directly in front of me glaring down at me. All I can do is stand still and look up at him. I start shaking but I know I have to try._

"_So… you came back to play, did you?" James sneers down at me, grabs my left arm and drags me through the door into the cabin, shutting it behind him. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away. But really there's no use anyway. I would've found you."_

_I can't speak. Where are my words? James walks me over to the far side of the one room cabin. The only furniture in the room is a metal folding chair in the corner. He shoves me into the chair and it clangs noisily as he pulls out two ripcords from his pocket and drops the chainsaw on the floor next to me._

"_Because you've been such a bad girl and interrupted me, I'm gonna make you watch."_

_I hear my father gurgling on the floor and look over at him in the middle of the room. He is squirming and I can tell he's trying to get up. I have to tell him I'm okay._

"_Dad, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I…" My sentence cuts off as James smacks me across the face. I yell out in pain and Charlie moans and writhes on the floor._

"_You stupid girl! You will not speak unless I tell you to!" James spits in my face when he talks. He roughly grips my right hand and ties it with one of the ripcords to the leg of the chair. He does the same with my left hand and the cord immediately rips into the skin. I feel a drop of blood slowly run down my palm and along my finger before I watch it splash on the floor._

_James picks up the chainsaw and stands straight up in front of me. He hovers over me as he rips the chainsaw to life and I close my eyes and flinch from the sound._

"_Did that scare you? Good! Now, open your eyes…" I hesitate a beat. "Open them!"_

_I quickly open my eyes and stare up at him. "Please… please don't do this. Don't hurt him… please!" I scream at James as he walks over to my father. He pauses and turns his head to the side and I see the corner of his mouth turn up into a sadistic smile._

_He raises the chainsaw and stands directly over my father before kicking Charlie in the stomach. He grunts in pain. James uses his foot to turn my father's body so he is facing me. I look down at his face and see blood mixed with tears. I'm so scared for him._

"_Do you see her? Can you see her fear? I promise you, she will watch you die, and then I will torture her very slowly before I kill her, too."_

"_No," Charlie gurgles out as he slowly lifts his chest off the floor and rests on his forearms. He lifts his face to peer up at James. "Don't touch her. You won't get away with this." Blood spills out of his mouth and falls to the floor, splattering on James' left shoe._

_James begins to chuckle quietly. "Do you really believe that I would waste such a lovely girl as her? You must be kidding. And have no fear… I will succeed in my plans… one way or another."_

_James grabs the chainsaw in both hands and raises it over his head. I look lovingly into my father's eyes and a single tear creeps down his face. In the next instant, James swiftly lowers the chainsaw and slices through Charlie's back. He screams in agony as blood and bone spray out over the room._

_Time stops. I stare at Charlie's face, his blank eyes, his calm face and I know he will hurt no more._

_I scream at James, but I know it won't help. I move my arms in a futile attempt at freeing them from the chair. The cords are slicing and pinching as I tug, and blood begins to flow freely from my wounds. I start crying and look up at James as he turns to face me again._

_James turns the chainsaw off and throws it against the wall to my left. He slowly stalks toward me in the corner while reaching into his jeans pocket. He pulls out a pocket knife and flips out one of the blades._

"_Did you like that, Bella? Did you like watching him die? Was it good for you?" James says suggestively. He kneels down in front of me and reaches up to caress my cheek as I cringe away from his touch. He takes the pocket knife in his left hand and slowly drags the blunt edge down the right side of my face. I hold my breath and stifle back my sobs._

_He continues the trail with his knife down my neck, over my collar bone and the swell of my breast, and stops at my nipple. He takes in a rough breath and whispers, "This is mine. I will rather enjoy torturing you tonight." He stops to think and continues, "I may even keep you around for a while just so I can play with you whenever I want."_

_His breath washes over my face and I hold back the vomit that rises in the back of my throat. I have to get out of here. I will not let him touch me. I can't let him._

"_I'm going to take off your ties now. If you try to run, I will kill you on the spot, but if you stay still and do as I say, I will let you live… for a while. Do you understand?" James looks at me expectantly, but I don't say a word. His eyes darken and he screams in my face, "Speak!"_

"_Yes… yes… I understand," I cry out and tears stream down my cheeks._

"_Good. I would hate to waste you. I'm growing very fond of you, Bella. I really will enjoy this." He chuckles to himself and moves around the back of the chair. I feel his fingers touch my wrists and the cold metal of the knife as it slices through the cords._

_I bring my hands to my lap and search my wrists for the deepest wounds. Fresh blood is still dripping from some areas but there is so much dirt and dried blood that it's hard to tell exactly where I'm hurt the worst._

_I sit still in the chair and wait for James to speak. I keep chanting in my head, "I will not die. I will not let him kill me." This mantra is keeping me sane and I focus on every word, every syllable as I wait for his instructions._

"_Get up and walk over to your father."_

_I rise slowly from the chair and walk over to my father's body. I stand next to his corpse on the floor and start to sob._

"_Move the pieces to the wall… and hurry up. I don't have time to wait."_

_I am shaking uncontrollably and lower myself to my knees. I am kneeling in my father's blood and my tears are falling on his face. I reach out and grab his arm. It's cold and pale and limp. I stand and drag his body to the wall under the window. I turn and walk back to pull his legs to the same place._

_I'm weeping and convulsing by the time I'm finished. I stand by his body, next to the window, waiting for my next instructions._

"_Good." James is sitting in the folding chair in the corner and one side of his mouth pulls up into a smile. "I want you to come closer. Stand in front of me." He lifts his left arm and points to the floor directly in front of where he is sitting._

_I shakily walk over to him and stop a few feet in front of him. He reaches toward me and I whimper._

_My mind is reeling. No… no… NO!_

I screamed and thrashed away from the touch. Strong, warm, gentle hands shook me and a soft voice comforted me.

"Isabella… Isabella! Wake up! You're fine!"

A familiar voice woke me and my eyes opened in horror. I scrambled to the opposite side of my bed, pulling the comforter with me and promptly fell over the side with a deafening thud on the floor. I stood straight up and backed up as fast as my legs would carry me and smacked straight into another person. Dropping the comforter, I started to stumble as arms quickly grabbed my waist and spun me around before I hit the floor. I tried to push this other person away, but his arms were like vices around me.

"Bella, shh. You're fine. Look at me."

I stopped pushing and peered up into his face. Edward. I immediately relaxed and slumped forward while burying my face in his chest, sobbing.

_Great, now I'm blubbering like an idiot._

"Bella, it's okay." Edward pulled me closer to his body and whispered in my ear, "No one's going to hurt you. You're fine. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

I heard footsteps behind me and stiffened. I felt Edward shake his head and the footsteps stopped.

"Isabella, are you alright?" Carlisle spoke quietly from across the room.

I mumbled into Edward's shirt, "I… I… just had a nightmare. They happen sometimes… it seems more now, than before. I'm so sorry you had to see that."

Just then, Emmett ran into the room and went straight to my side and placed his hand on my back.

"Bells, you okay? I heard you screaming and came as fast as I could." He paused for a moment then continued, "Nightmare again? That's twice this week. I thought we'd be good for a while after that last one."

"Are they always this bad?" Carlisle asked from behind me.

Edward loosened his grip around my waist and I stepped back and sat on the floor pulling my knees to my chest. I looked up at Edward and he was standing there, barefoot, in blue flannel pajama pants and a plain grey v-neck tee shirt while he ran his fingers through his sexy bed hair.

_Why did he have to be the one that found me?_

I shook my head, looked over to Carlisle and explained, "They seem to be getting worse… more vivid. I'm not sure why. I'm really getting tired of them, though. They're wearing me out."

Carlisle slowly stepped around the bed and walked over to stand in front of me and next to Emmett. He looked really concerned and worried, like I was a live bomb that would go off any second. I looked up at Carlisle and then over to Emmett, who seemed concerned, too, but I knew he was just worried about how far my dream had gone. I usually told him where it stopped so he could prepare himself for the next round of terrifying screams that would no doubt show up with my next episode. But the nightmares were getting so intense that even he was getting nervous about them.

I noticed Edward shift next to me and he sat down indian-style on the floor directly to my left. He was so close I could feel heat rolling off him, and the air seemed charged with electricity. It raised goose bumps on my arms and I shivered from the feeling.

_Woah… that's new._

I turned my gaze to Edward's face and realized he was lost in thought. He was biting his bottom lip and rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand. His forehead was creased in concentration and he was staring at the floor. He noticed me watching him and turned to look down at me. He gave me a beautiful, crooked smile and stopped rubbing his neck. He lifted his right arm and wrapped it around my shoulders as he scooted closer to me on the floor. I sank into his side and felt a sudden calmness wash over me.

_That was unexpected._

Emmett cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. He scowled down and Edward and me on the floor and huffed in annoyance. Carlisle glanced over at Emmett and then down to us on the floor. He raised one of his eyebrows in amusement and started asking me more questions. I'm sure he felt the building tension in the room and wanted to change the subject before Emmett went berserk.

"Isabella, do you know what triggers your nightmares?" Carlisle peered down at me and rubbed his chin with his fingers as he thought. It was evident he was in full doctor mode.

"Well, normally they only happen after I've been to one of the therapists, but this is the second one in three nights and that never happens. You can ask Emmett, he usually only has to deal with this once a month." I had to get the focus off of me. I always felt like a dweeb after my nightmares, and this was way worse with Edward having seen it.

"Really? Emmett, you've helped her cope with these before?" Carlisle turned to Emmett and looked genuinely impressed.

"Um, yeah." Emmett lost his scowl and looked over at Carlisle. "When Bella's had the nightmares before, I'm normally there to wake her up, but you seem to have beaten me to it today." He sneered over at Edward when he said this.

_Oh, knock it off, Emmett._

"How did you find me anyway?" I questioned, looking from Edward to Carlisle.

"Well, I'd just walked in the door after my shift at work and I heard some banging coming from upstairs. As I neared the second story landing, I realized it was coming from your room. I knocked on your door and called out but you didn't answer. Then, you started screaming and I rushed in to make sure you were all right." Carlisle stopped and nodded at Edward to continue.

"I… well, um," Edward looked straight into my eyes and started nervously rubbing his neck again. "I heard some noises, too, and I started down the stairs. When I heard you scream, I followed dad in your room in case he needed help, and that's when we saw you."

I cringed at what I knew they saw. Me, a total wreck… flailing, screaming, thrashing around on my bed, the blankets a complete mess.

"Then, dad went over to you and touched your face to try and wake you up… and…" Edward just looked down at me. I know he saw the terror in my eyes. I was so afraid he would think I was a lunatic that I buried my face in my hands and rested my head on my knees.

"I didn't say anything… did I?" I asked into my hands.

"All we could make out was 'no.' Everything else was garbled or just… screaming." Edward soothed me by running his hand though my hair, down my back.

_Well, that was a plus… I guess. No crazy Bella talk this time. At least they have _that_ to look forward to._

Carlisle took a step toward me and knelt down on the floor. "Isabella, what was your dream about?"

_Oh no. Not that question. I cannot answer that right now._

"I'm sorry. I… I… really don't want to talk about it." I lifted my head and looked up at Emmett. I needed him to get me out of this. I silently pled with him to help me.

"She can't talk this soon after a nightmare. She… um… it makes it harder to recover." _Thank you, Emmett._

I looked over at Edward and he had this torn look on his face, like he was upset I didn't want to talk but he wanted to let me have my space. He pulled me even closer to his side and started rubbing tiny circles on my upper arm to calm me.

Carlisle spoke first. "Okay, that's fine. We can delve further into these nightmares some other time, but it seems like we should do it quickly before they get even worse."

He stood up from the floor and turned for the door with a look of confusion on his face. I didn't want to deceive anyone. I just didn't think I was really ready to share my deepest, darkest secrets with them. I rested my head on Edward's shoulder and looked up at Emmett. I mouthed "thank you" to him and he winked down at me.

He still had his arms crossed on his chest in defiance when he spoke. "Are you sure you're all right? It sounded crazy-scary upstairs when you were screaming."

"Yes, Emmett. I'll get over it. It was just _real_ this time." I dropped my gaze to my hands on my knees and mumbled under my breath, "too real."

Edward rested his head on mine and I swear I heard him sniff. He continued drawing circles on my arm and I shuddered from the trail of sparks he was leaving.

"I'm sorry. Are you cold?" Edward moved away, grabbing the fallen comforter off the floor to wrap it around me.

"No… actually, I'm just a little shaken up, that's all." I smiled up at him and he returned it with a striking one of his own. I started getting up off the floor and he reached out his hand to help me. "I think I'm gonna just get washed up before breakfast, okay? I'll see you guys down there, all right?"

Edward smiled at me and Emmett glared at Edward. The tension between those two was monumental. I would definitely have to tell Emmett to back down before he did something he would regret. They both turned and walked out the door while I grabbed some clothes out of my closet and headed across the hall to the bathroom.

I opened the door and was hit with the wonderful smell of vanilla and lavender. The walls were painted a soothing light blue and there was a double sink under a mirror that took up the entire wall to my left. The tub was against the far wall, but it really couldn't be called a tub. This thing was freaking huge! It had water powered jets and was deep enough to submerge my entire body in water. The "jacuzzi" was already filled with warm bath water and bubbles were floating haphazardly on top. Steam was rising off the water and I noticed a note sitting on the counter next to one of the sinks. I walked forward, closing the door and picked up the note to read it.

**Bella, I know you had a rough morning, so relax and come down when you're ready.**

**--Alice**

_How did she…? Well, who cares._

I took my time in the bath, letting the water soothe my achy muscles and help me forget my nightmare. When I was finished, I dressed and headed downstairs to the kitchen where Alice and Esme were fixing omelets at the stove.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Esme greeted as I stopped at the island counter. "Do you like omelets?"

"Yes, I do. That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Esme." I walked over to Alice next to the stove and thanked her for my surprise.

"Oh, no problem, Bella. I knew you were gonna need some relaxation this morning so I thought I'd help you out. What do you want in your omelet? We have everything cut up in bowls already. Just pick what you want and mom will make it for you." She pointed over next to Esme and, sure enough, anything I would have ever wanted in an omelet was prepared in separate bowls on the counter.

"Wow, I think I'll have peppers, mushrooms and cheese. Thanks." I smiled at Esme and she beamed back at me.

"You are very welcome, Isabella. Would you like anything else this morning? There is juice and milk in the fridge and Alice can show you where the bread is for toasting."

Alice pulled me to the pantry and asked me if I preferred white, wheat, twelve-grain, or sourdough bread for toast. After I chose sourdough, she handed me the loaf and I followed her over to the counter with the toaster. She reached up and pulled two glasses out of the cabinets and went to the refrigerator to pull out orange juice and milk while I placed two slices of bread in the toaster. She bounced back over next to me at the counter and poured the drinks in my cups.

"So, mom and I were thinking we could go shopping tomorrow in Seattle. We'll leave around seven in the morning and then spend the night at the Four Seasons before hitting more shops and heading home on Wednesday night. This is gonna be great!" Alice squealed and clapped her hands while jumping up and down.

I laughed at her excitement and took a sip of my juice. Alice hopped up to sit on the island counter and I joined her. We were swinging our legs listening to her iPod when Edward and Emmett walked into the kitchen. They were laughing and pushing each other around debating who was better at MLB '09.

"I'm a way better pitcher. Did you see that fast ball? It was smokin'!" Emmett laughed and punched Edward in the shoulder.

Edward winced and rubbed his arm while he said, "No way, man. You didn't hit my curve ball once! And I had six homeruns when you only had four." Edward smirked and walked over to the island counter and stood next to Alice.

"Whatever, man. You're just jealous because I beat you on Halo. I'm totally awesome at that game." Emmett grabbed an apple off the counter and took an enormous bite while standing near me.

Edward rolled his eyes and looked at me. He smiled warmly and I could see the blush in his cheeks as he ran his fingers through his hair. I smiled back and chewed on my lip as I turned to stare down at my lap. I couldn't help the blush from creeping into my cheeks as well.

_Damn it all to hell!_

"Did you boys hear we're leaving at seven tomorrow?" Alice questioned. "You know you're both coming along, right?"

Edward just nodded with a look of "yeah, I figured" and Emmett got a huge grin on his face, complete with dimples.

"I know we're gonna need all the help we can get while we're there." Alice stopped and stared off into space. She seemed completely oblivious to everything around her.

"Well, it sounds awesome, Alice." I smiled over at her and she shook her head like she was clearing her thoughts. She hesitantly smiled back and jumped off the counter.

"Okay, kids. Breakfast is ready. Come get your plates." Esme turned and placed the final omelet on a plate. We lined up at the counter and each grabbed our food.

We walked into the living room and sat down to watch TV while we ate. Alice and I talked about what we would need to pack for our trip, and she told me about all the stores she wanted to make sure I didn't miss.

After breakfast, all four of us battled it out on the PS3. Emmett was pissed after about two hours because Alice would beat him every time they went head-to-head. He started whining and acting like a three year old who wasn't getting their way, so Edward suggested we grab some lunch and all go downstairs to check out the game room.

"You have a game room!" Emmett exclaimed as his eyes lit up.

"Yeah, it's something dad decided we needed and mom wasn't sure what to do with the basement anyway, so it was pretty easy to talk her into it." Edward shrugged his shoulders and got up from the floor to put away his game controller.

We all followed suit and soon were walking down into the basement. Emmett and I stopped just inside the doorway to the game room and both our jaws dropped open. Neither of us could say anything. _Wow… Emmett speechless… that never happens._

To the wall on our left, were foosball and air hockey tables and to the right was a pool table. There was a mini-bar to the right of the pool table complete with four high-backed bar stools. Straight ahead was the biggest flat screen TV I'd ever seen. In front of the TV were four huge recliners arranged in a semicircle facing away from us.

"What do you guys wanna play?" Edward asked as he grabbed sodas out of the fridge from behind the mini-bar. "We can just watch a movie if you want."

"Oooh, I know! We should all watch _Clerks_ and then _Mallrats_. It'll be perfect since we're going shopping tomorrow!" Alice ran to the DVD case next to the TV and pulled out the movies. "Come on. It'll be fun."

"Well, I guess we're watching movies, then." Edward handed Emmett and me our sodas and we followed him over to the recliners.

Each chair had built in cup holders and speakers in the headrests. Emmett chose the seat on the far left and I sat next to him. Alice popped the movie in and jumped in the seat to the far right. The only seat left was the one to my right. For a split second I thought I saw Edward's eyes narrow as he looked at Alice, but he quickly composed himself and sank into the chair next to mine.

"Hey, you big nerd. You didn't get the lights," Alice groaned as she got up from her chair and hit the switch on the wall.

The only light in the room was from the TV. Edward shifted in his chair so he leaned closer to mine, and I moved slightly every few minutes, subconsciously inching closer to him throughout the movies. It was like an unknown force was pulling us together, and by the end of the second movie, we had both repositioned so much that our heads were resting on the armrests closest to the other and we were lying sideways in our chairs. There was almost an audible humming in between us as the electricity charged from our proximity. _Can he feel that, too?_

I lifted my head and peeked over at Edward. He must have heard me move because he rolled and looked up at me from his chair.

"Hey," Edward whispered as he stared into my eyes.

"Hey," I said back, all breathy and seductive. _What the hell!_

I stared back at him and got lost in his piercing, green eyes. I could smell his tangy, spicy scent mixing in the air, and it was consuming me. I wanted to taste his lips… his cheek… his jaw… and run my fingers through his hair. _I bet it's just as silky as it looks._ I could feel my body gravitating toward him, wanting nothing more than to kiss this beautiful boy.

He sensed my need and looked from my eyes to my mouth as he slowly moved toward me. He was going agonizingly slowly, but the torture was sweet. His mouth parted slightly and he let out a sharp breath as his tongue slipped out to wet his lips. Oh. My. God. His breath was delicious, like cool mint gum or icy spearmint. I shivered in anticipation.

He moved closer and closer until our noses were almost touching. I could feel his breath on my lips as mine caught in my throat. Our lips brushed together and someone cleared their throat, startling us from our contact, causing us both to bolt upright in our chairs.

"Dammit, Emmett! You scared the shit outta me, you ass!" I yelled at him while smacking the back of his head.

"Jeez. Sorry, Bells." Emmett smirked down at me, then, glared over at Edward.

_Stupid fuck knew exactly what he was doing!_

I was still blushing and breathing heavy from mine and Edward's moment, and I could feel Edward staring at me. I turned slowly toward him and peeked up at him from under my lashes. I smiled and felt my blush deepen as he winked and got up to turn on the lights.

_Did he just wink… at me! Hot damn!_

After Edward turned on the lights, we heard Carlisle call down the steps that dinner was ready in the dining room. I sighed and got up from my chair following the others up the stairs.

Dinner was amazing again. Esme was a fabulous cook, and I was stuffed by the time I was done eating. Alice and I retired to our rooms after we ate to gather all our goodies for the trip. I was actually getting excited about it. What a weird feeling to experience after being numb for years.

Alice and I stayed awake for hours talking and giggling like thirteen year old girls. When midnight finally hit, I excused myself to my room. I wanted to try and get some good rest before the trip, and the memory of Edward from earlier was still floating around my head. The more I thought about it, the more butterflies swam in my stomach.

I changed into my pajamas and got into bed, curling up under the covers. I rested my head in the middle of my pillow and drifted quickly off to sleep.

That was the first night I dreamt of Edward Cullen… and it was freaking hot!

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**A/N: I hope that was worth the wait, and I hope I didn't lose anybody with the nightmare. Poor Bella... she's seriously f*cked up. But Edward seems to be swooping in to save her. Hmmm... wonder what's in store for these two kiddos. Remember, reviews are love. Write one for the tease!  
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**Rec time: A fellow RAoR lovely is writing a fic that will knock your socks off. It's full of mystery, angst, and she switches POVs (which I love in an author). Please go read _Blinding_ by xlavendermoonx. It's a WiP, but oh so worth it.  
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	6. Premonitions

**A/N: I have to send out a major thank you to xlavendermoonx for pimpin' my fic out with her last chapter of _Blinding_. You make me all smiley! ;)**

**To my fabulous betas, twifan82 and Jen's WordSong for staying on for this ride. And to my new pre-reader, eviekinz for kicking my ass and making this even better. I love you all so hard! ::twss::**

**And to my wonderful readers... you all rock my world! Thanks for favoriting and adding me to your alerts! I have the best readers EVER!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I get to make Edward say boobies.**

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***~*BPOV*~*

_I walk down a dimly lit, white hallway. There is a door at the end, slightly open. Rose petals strewn across the floor let me know I'm on the right path. I reach the door and slowly push it further open. The room has several lit candles randomly placed throughout. The smell of vanilla, cherry, and jasmine fills the space. To the left is a long wall of windows letting the full moon shine through, illuminating an oversized, wrought iron bed with black satin sheets, centered in the room. To the right is a black leather chaise lounge… and he is sitting there._

_He is wearing nothing but white, cotton, drawstring pants with a button fly. His hair is unruly and just begging to be touched. The moon light accents every muscle on his lean body, and I have the strongest urge to lick every inch of him._

_He slowly leans forward and swings his legs over the side of the chaise and rests his feet on the floor. He lazily stands up and gives me a sexy smirk while he runs his right hand through his hair._

_I feel myself blush as I look down at the floor and away from the eye candy. I hear him walk toward me and he places his hand under my chin to lift my face. I don't know I'm biting my lip until his thumb gently tugs it from my teeth._

"_You are so beautiful," he murmurs softly as his thumb grazes my cheek._

_I look up as a breathtaking, crooked smile breaks on his face. My blush deepens and I can't help but stare into his eyes. They are shockingly green and pull me in. I am sufficiently dazzled._

_He lowers his hand and pulls on the sash holding my silk robe together. My breath catches in my throat as he bends down and brushes his lips over mine. His hands move to my waist and he slowly spins me so I'm facing away from him. He sweeps my hair off my left shoulder and I feel his warm breath on my neck._

"_Bella," he breathes huskily in my ear._

_I melt into him as he lowers the robe off my shoulders and it lands in a heap on the floor. I'm wearing nothing but my matching cobalt blue bra and panties, but I feel like it's too much as I press back into his body. His arms wrap around my bare waist while he holds me to his naked chest. We sway back and forth to an unknown, sensual beat. He is everything, everywhere… consuming me._

_He slowly starts tracing circles with his thumbs on my hips, relaxing me, soothing me. He trails kisses from my ear to my shoulder and I tilt my head to allow him better access. His right hand moves slowly to my stomach, while his left arm pulls me impossibly closer to his frame and I feel his hardness press into my back._

_He pauses briefly, and then his right hand continues its ascent until his thumb reaches the swell of my left breast. He brushes against the lacy fabric and I hold my breath._

"_Breathe, love," he whispers in my ear and I shiver in anticipation._

_His thumb sweeps over my breast and rubs my nipple through the lace. It hardens immediately from his touch and we both moan at the contact. He starts pinching and twisting my hardened bud and my knees go weak. His grip around my waist increases as he continues his caressing and I let my head fall back against his shoulder._

_He slides his right hand to the side and palms my right breast. He massages and rubs it, while tugging at my nipple and kissing my neck. His teasing feels amazing through the lace of my bra and I arch into his hand._

"_God, Bella. I need you."_

"_Edward."_

_He moans when I say his name and lifts me up by the waist. He walks to the bed and lays me on my back on the silky fabric. I rise up on my elbows and scoot back toward the pillows. He stands at the end of the bed while he looks me up and down._

"_So beautiful," he whispers._

_He climbs on the bed and moves closer so he hovers over me. He uses his right knee to slightly spread my legs. I look up at his face and he smiles when he leans down to kiss me. His lips are so soft. He barely parts them and his tongue sweeps out and across my lips. I open my mouth and accept him into mine. _Delicious._ I sigh and lightly suck on his tongue while I reach my hands up to grip his hair. He groans into my mouth and leans onto his left elbow as his right hand tangles in my hair._

_When he moves his mouth from mine, I take in a deep breath. His lips never leave me as he kisses across my cheek and down my neck, licking the hollow at my throat as my hands grip tighter in his hair. He moves his right hand so it's cupping my left breast and he starts massaging my flesh while his mouth descends on my right nipple. He sucks at my peak through the lace making me gasp and tremble in response._

"_Mmmm… Edward," I moan._

_Licking across the valley between my breasts, he nips at my other peak, making it impossibly harder, and I buck my hips as he grinds his hardness into my hip. I groan at the friction from his thigh between my legs and feel him shudder as he drops his forehead to my chest and softly curses._

"Shit, Bella!"

_I get an incredible tingle between my thighs from his words, and a slow burning ignites deep inside my stomach. I'm losing control of my body and I thrust involuntarily, relishing in the delightful friction against his thigh. I fist his hair in my left hand while I clutch at the small of his back with my right._

"_Oh, Edward… more," I whimper._

_He pulls my nipple into his mouth once more and I arch my back, feeling the intensity course through my veins. His right hand slowly moves down my left side, caressing my bare skin and he slides his long fingers back and forth between my hips, just under the edge of my panties._

_I start panting as we continue to rub and grind on each other in sweet torture. He pushes his fingers further down and teases my burning flesh and growls,"Fuck, Bella… you're so wet."_

"_I want you, Edward. _Please_… more."_

_He slips one finger through my slick folds and I push against his hand. His thumb finds my swollen nub and he circles it slowly. I pull his face back to mine and we moan into each other's mouth while we grind to our own luscious rhythm. He pulls his face away and I look up at his gorgeous eyes. They are hooded and his mouth pulls up on one side as he gradually pushes one finger inside me. My eyes roll back as he pumps at a steady pace and I moan, "Edward."_

"Edward? Nope, definitely not Edward."

My eyes shot open and I woke to a very hyper, very excited Alice jumping up and down on my bed.

_Damn munchkin interrupted the good part._

"I know you were having a nice dream, but eww." Alice crinkled her nose at me while she bounced off the bed. She walked over to my closet and threw open my door while saying, "Come on, sleepy head. We've got to get going or we're never gonna get outta here on time. Let's see…"

She perused the closet for my "traveling clothes" as she called them, while I inwardly groaned at her little box-blocking incident.

I tossed off my covers and placed my feet on the floor as I whined, "Alice, can't I just wear jeans and tee shirt… please? If we're gonna be in the car for hours, I don't wanna be uncomfortable."

"Don't you trust me, Bella? I'll make sure you're comfortable." She strolled out of my closet and tossed her clothing choices at my head.

"Hey, watch it, girlie!" I yelled as I caught the pieces just before they slammed into my face. "I thought you weren't gonna let me wear jeans?"

"Well, I wasn't gonna let you wear that awful pair you came in with. These suit you much better. Now, hurry up and get your shower because we have to leave in an hour, and I won't tolerate tardiness. You hear me, missy?"

She scowled at me from across the room and I smiled over at her in response. "Oh no. We wouldn't want that, now would we? Can't have little Ms. Hyper getting all pissy on us." I smirked at her and she strolled closer to me, sitting on the bed.

"You have no idea, Bella. Nothing comes between me and shopping. Got it?"

"Yeah, sure. Got it." I agreed with her quickly, not because she glared at me within two inches of my face, but because the little sprite scared the shit out of me. I really thought she would rip me apart if I stalled her shopping trip for even one minute.

"Good. Now, go get ready and I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast!" She patted me on the top of my head and skipped out of my room before I had the chance to change my mind.

I looked through my pile of clothes to make sure I could live with her choices. She picked out dark wash, low-rise skinny jeans and two layering camisole tops. The first was a simple brown baby-doll tee and the second was a white, sheer lace tank top to wear over the top. Then, I noticed she even went as far as picking out underwear for me. Upon closer inspection, I realized they were the exact pair of matching bra and panties I wore in my dream.

_Well, this should be interesting._

I gathered all my clothes and headed to the bathroom. I finished washing and primping in about fifteen minutes. _Yeah, I know, total disgrace to woman-kind._ Then, I walked back to my room, put on my black Converse sneakers and grabbed my overnight bag.

As I walked down the stairs, I really started getting excited about the trip. This would be my first outing with a family since my parents died, and Alice seemed like the best person to take the reins and show me what I'd been missing. Her enthusiasm was contagious and I was completely prepared for a change of pace in my nonexistent social life. I was ready for a real friend, other than Emmett, that I could spend time with, someone that would kick my butt into high gear when I needed it. Alice definitely fit the bill.

I rounded the corner into the kitchen and saw Esme packing a cooler with sodas and snacks for the ride.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Esme smiled at me as I walked into the room. "I'm sorry I don't have time to make a real breakfast this morning, so grab some cereal from the pantry and help yourself."

I smiled back and dropped my bag near the door. "That's perfect, Esme. I'm not sure I could stomach a full meal this early in the morning."

I turned to the pantry and pulled down a box of _Cap'n Crunch – Crunch Berries_ for my nutritious breakfast. Alice was already waiting at the table in the dining room with an empty bowl, spoon and milk for me, so I strolled over to sit across from her.

"See, I can pick out comfortable, unpretentious clothes, and you still get to wear your sneakers," Alice sneered.

"Yes, thank you very much, Alice. You're the queen of comfy fashion." I sat down and took a big bite of my cereal, crunching loudly as I smiled over at Alice. Just then, I heard the boys come barreling down the stairs.

"Good morning, Mom." I heard the pantry door squeak open and then Edward asked, "Hey, where's my cereal?"

"I think Bella has it in the dining room, honey," Esme answered. "Good morning, Emmett."

"Oh… uh, thanks," Edward replied.

"Good morning, Esme." I heard Emmett rooting around in the pantry when he yelled, "Awesome! _Count Chocula_! I love this cereal!"

The pantry door closed and I heard them open other cabinets and drawers getting their bowls and spoons. They came into the dining room and grabbed their seats while they poured their cereal and milk.

"Good morning, boys," chirped Alice. "I hope you're both ready for an exciting couple of days of shopping á la Alice."

Edward groaned as he glared at Alice. Clearly, he'd done this before and knew exactly what was in store for us.

Emmett nudged my arm and smiled down at me when I looked up at him. "Morning, Bella. Sleep well last night?"

I stopped mid bite and thought back to my dream. _Was I talking in my sleep? How much did I say? There's no way he could've heard me._

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes. I slept fine," I deflected his question as best I could, but my body betrayed me when I peeked over at Edward and felt my cheeks blush.

_Damn overactive capillaries!_

Edward looked over at me and paused his arm so his spoon hovered over his bowl. I licked my bottom lip and then chewed on it as he smirked and winked. He moved his arm again and took a bite of his cereal.

_Ungh… I wish I was that spoon._

I shook that thought out of my head and looked down at my bowl, swirling the few remaining cereal pieces around in the milk with my spoon. I couldn't eat anymore with Edward on the brain. The butterflies were returning to my stomach and I really didn't want sick Bella to make a visit in the car on the way to Seattle.

By the time we finished breakfast, Edward had eaten the rest of the _Cap'n Crunch_ cereal, which was about three quarters of the box, and Emmett polished off the _entire_ box of _Count Chocula_. If I didn't know any better, I'd bet those two were having a contest to see who could eat more in one sitting. Poor Edward didn't stand a chance against Goliath. _I should've warned him._

Alice and I cleaned up after everyone while the boys loaded the car. We pulled out of the garage at exactly seven o'clock, and Alice seemed rather pleased that we were still on schedule. Esme drove the eight passenger luxury SUV with Edward and Emmett sitting on opposite sides of the middle seat and Alice and I in the far back. Edward and Emmett played cards most of the way… well, when Emmett wasn't singing show tunes, anyway, and Alice and I listened to her iPod and chatted about school and friends she was itching for me to meet. All in all, it was a pretty relaxing ride.

We reached Seattle city limits around eleven, and the boys decided they were starving, so we stopped for an early lunch. After an impressive display of "testosterone wars" between Edward, Emmett and about six main courses, we left the restaurant and made our way to the Four Seasons Hotel.

_Holy mother of fuck! This place is enormous!_

Esme drove right up to the main entrance and was quickly greeted by a valet. We all filed out of the car and a bellhop immediately went to the back of the SUV and gathered our bags to take them to our rooms.

Emmett and I were dumbfounded. We had never been anywhere so nice in our entire lives. We just stared at each other and the surroundings with our mouths hanging open like idiots. I'm sure I actually started drooling at one point after we entered the foyer and had about four different people ask us if we needed anything to drink.

We followed Esme over to the check-in counter and waited for her to get our room keys. I vaguely remembered hearing the words "executive suites" and "spa treatments" from the hotel attendant, but quickly dismissed it because I thought they were trying to hustle Esme into upgrading. _Boy, was I wrong._

After waiting around in the foyer for about twenty minutes, we rode the elevator up to the tenth floor. Esme informed us that the girls would all be in one room and the boys would be in the one directly across the hall. I guess I was expecting a _Motel 8_-single-room-with-two-full-beds-layout, but when Esme swiped the key and opened the door, I almost fell on my ass.

There was a hallway we walked straight through to get to the sitting area. In said sitting area was a couch against the left wall and a chair on the adjacent wall to its left. Directly across from the couch was a huge plasma TV. The bedroom was down the hall, to the right and it was complete with a king-sized bed, two plush chairs, and another huge flat screen TV. The bathroom was to the left, and was bigger than any of my measly bedrooms had ever been.

The shower was separate from the Jacuzzi tub and the mirror over the sink took up more than half the wall and met a large picture window that looked out over Elliot Bay. Oh, and did I mention that you could watch TV on the mirror!

_Holy. Freaking. Shit!_

"Wow!" I managed to mumble under my breath after I was finished with the tour.

"Neat, huh?" Alice grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the sitting area and plopped us down on the couch. "Mom's gonna sleep in the bedroom, so we'll camp out in here on the sofa-bed. But first, we have to get ready to go to the spa!"

_Oh my god. I'm dreaming. I knew it! This was definitely too good to be true. Please don't wake up, please don't wake up._

"Wh-what?" I stuttered as I stared blankly at Alice.

"Whenever we go on shopping trips like this, we always go to the spa first. We're gonna get massages and facials and mani-pedi's! It'll be so much fun!" Alice squealed so loud I thought my ear drums would burst.

The only thing I knew about "spa treatments" was that you got naked and someone you only just met rubbed oil all over your body and tortured your muscles into submission. That really didn't sound like fun to me. Not to mention, I was very apprehensive about being so vulnerable in front of a stranger.

"Whoa, take it down a notch, Alice." I backed away from her outburst and said, "I'm not sure about this. I mean, I've never been to a spa before, let alone had my nails or toes done by anyone other than myself and you. I'm not sure I want my muscles beat to a pulp before I have to walk around and shop all day. And what exactly does a facial entail?"

"Silly, Bella," Alice chided. "Do you really think I would make you do something that involved torture… Wait, don't answer that. Seriously, you'll be fine. Relax and enjoy yourself for the next couple of days, because before you know it, we'll be back at school, stressing over tests."

She rubbed my arm, then patted my knee before jumping off the couch and pulling me with her to get our bags. We changed into our bathing suits and long, fluffy, white robes, courtesy of the hotel, before heading down to the spa with Esme.

"Where are the boys?" I questioned as I turned my head toward their room while we walked to the elevator.

"Oh, they're gonna go to the fitness room, then the pool." Alice dramatically rolled her eyes and pushed the button on the elevator. "You know, stuff to make them feel secure in their masculinity… whatever."

I giggled as we stepped inside the elevator and made our way to the spa. The waiting area had several large, off-white, suede chairs and couches. We checked in at the main desk and waited until our names were called to go back.

After about five minutes, we followed the attendant back to the steam room. We hung up our robes and sat in the warm, humid air for another fifteen minutes while Alice explained the importance of getting the most out of the spa experience.

"We have to sit in here first to open our pores. That way the facial has a chance to reach its full potential."

"Okay, got it. No clogged pores so someone can rub goo all over my face," I snarked at Alice as she smirked over at me.

I tried to relax, I really did, but ever since we walked into this place, I felt like I was being followed and watched. It was the worst in the main foyer, right after we arrived. I felt all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and when I saw Edward tense and start looking around, I began to get really nervous. _ I wonder what made him react like that._ I hated to admit it, but this place was kind of giving me the heebee geebies.

"Relax, Bella. You're thinking too much." Alice pulled me from my musings and smiled kindly at me. "You're supposed to have fun, okay? Don't be nervous."

I smiled back, but I just couldn't completely relax. Something was off, but I couldn't put my finger on what it would be. I looked over at Alice and Esme and they both smiled back, warmly. At that point, I decided I wouldn't let it bother me. I was determined to enjoy this dream while it lasted.

We all went and got our facials next and I was rather surprised at how pleasant it actually was. After the buffing and slathering of various plasters to our faces, we met our massage therapists and split up into our respective Zen rooms. I was glad to see that my therapist was a woman. I'm not sure how I would have weaseled my way out of having some random dude rub oil all over me.

After the single most relaxing hour of my life, I met back up with Alice and Esme. We grabbed our robes and set off to finish the afternoon with our manicures and pedicures. Alice and I sat in chairs next to each other while they prettied up our hands and feet. I was really liking all the time I spent with her. She was proving to be an awesome friend, and I knew she felt the same way about me. Despite the fact that she interrupted my awesome dream and pissed me off, she was one hyper little bitch that was loyal to her friends. Another thing I learned was, under no circumstances, did you want to fuck with her. She would screw you over seven ways to Sunday and then turn around and do it all over again. I was confident she would have no problem keeping up with me… snark queen extraordinaire.

_Feisty little punk… that's how I like 'em!_

We finished our afternoon by relaxing in the oversized, suede chairs in the spa entrance and drinking glasses of sparkling pink lemonade. While we unwound, Esme told us that we would meet the boys back in the room and head down to the hotel restaurant for dinner in about an hour. Alice decided this was a perfect opportunity to dress me up once again, so we ended our chill session and went back up to the room to get ready.

_Well, this should be fun._

*~*EPOV*~*

As much as I wasn't looking forward to carrying around armloads of shopping bags for the next couple of days, I really couldn't think of a better place to be than somewhere with Bella. I really didn't feel comfortable letting her out of my sight for an extended period of time, so having an excuse to go on this little shopping trip was a wonderful disguise for my true intentions; keeping an eye on her and making sure trouble didn't find her.

_Stalker much? Yeah, I know. Pathetic, right?_

Ever since she opened up to me in the garage, I couldn't help but feel a connection to her. It was like her soul attached itself to mine and we had an invisible cord pulling us together. I knew she felt comfortable with me, but I didn't know why. We barely knew each other and for all she knew, I could just be trying to get in her pants. _Well… I was, but I needed time to work my mad skills._

I was feeling a little apprehensive about going all the way to Seattle, but Alice insisted that we keep up tradition and make a big deal out of it. She wanted Bella to have a warm welcome into our family and she knew this would give Emmett and me some time to build our friendship, too. But I couldn't banish the feeling that something just wasn't right. Alice sensed it, too, but she wasn't letting on that she was nervous at all.

The entrance to the hotel wasn't any different than recent years, but I got the sense that someone was staring. I tensed and looked around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I dropped it. I'd just have to keep my eyes open for anything unusual in the meantime.

After the girls went down to get their spa groove on, Emmett and I decided to spend some time in the fitness center and maybe go swimming. We were both determined to show off our skills, so we challenged each other to a duel of sorts. We would both have to run two miles on a treadmill in under fifteen minutes, then bench 120 pounds, and finally, leg press 250 pounds. The latter two we had to do a rep of ten or we would be disqualified.

The only part I was worried about was the bench press, otherwise, I was golden. I had no doubt I would blow him out of the water in the running department, and 250 pounds on a leg press was for wusses. Unfortunately, I was never known for my arm strength, and Emmett had some guns. Overall, we thought it would be a pretty fair match.

I almost thought I had him when he barely made two miles in fourteen minutes and fifty-six seconds. Just like I thought, he benched the 120 without even breaking a sweat, but I almost didn't make it past eight reps. I was huffing so hard by the last two that Emmett actually asked if I was breathing at all, because my face was turning purple. When I grunted that I was fine and pulled out the last two reps, he was already in position to do the leg press.

"Okay, man." Emmett smirked at me and then dared, "This is the tiebreaker. Whoever gets all ten reps done first, wins. Deal?"

_Oh, game on, sucker._ "Deal, bro. Now, don't go too fast. I wouldn't want you hurting those precious little legs of yours." I snickered and got on the machine.

"Look who's talking! Are you sure you didn't hijack some chicken legs at lunch? I coulda sworn I heard some clucking earlier."

We chuckled and I gave him my best "you're goin' down" look before we counted to three and raced to the finish. We both sped through the first seven reps, but by number eight we started lagging. I pushed out rep eight just before he did, then we both completed nine at the same time. We both pushed our legs for rep ten, and Emmett's machine busted in half just as I finished my set.

"No fucking way! Rematch… I demand a rematch," Emmett screamed.

"Dude, calm down," I laughed. "We'll call it a tie, okay? Now, let's go explain that you verbally threatened your machine and it shattered under the sheer force of your voice."

"Ha! Yeah, I like that explanation. Death by verbal annihilation."

We both laughed and walked over to describe what happened to one of the trainers. He said that the machine Emmett was on was actually supposed to have an "out of order" sticker on it and he was glad Emmett wasn't hurt. We both shrugged it off and headed to the pool to cool down.

After spending about a half hour bumming around the pool, we went back up to the room to wait for the girls and go grab dinner. We showered and changed into button up, long-sleeved shirts and nice jeans and watched TV until we heard the girls in the hallway. Esme knocked on our door and made sure we were ready. She told us to meet them over in their room in forty five minutes because we had reservations in the hotel restaurant, ART, in an hour.

"Oh, hey, Mom?" I yelled while I ran to the door.

"What honey?" Esme asked as she turned back toward our now open door.

"I think my shampoo is in your bag. I had to use the hotel stuff this afternoon, but I wanted to check if I brought mine or not."

"Sure, honey. I'll let you in and you can check the bag in the bathroom. I have to go down and get Alice's room key. She left it in the spa. You know how flighty she can be sometimes."

We both chuckled as she let me in the room. I didn't even think to check where the girls were. I just assumed they were in the bedroom getting ready, so I walked to the bathroom and swung open the door, immediately gripping the door knob so hard I thought I would leave finger indents.

There she was, naked except for the sexiest, blue lace panties. Bella had her arms above her head as she combed her hair and her breasts were dancing to the beat of her movements. _Those glorious breasts that I ached to touch and caused my pants to bulge._

She turned her head to the door and had a look of utter shock on her face. She immediately dropped her arms to cover herself, but it was too late. I'd already gotten the best show of my life and I didn't want it to end.

"Oh my god!" Bella shrieked.

"Holy shit!" I shouted as I covered my face with my hands and turned around on the spot.

"I'm sorry. I just came in… I mean, I just needed to get some shampoo. I'm sorry," I apologized into my hands.

"Don't you knock?" Bella shouted. "Alice!"

"What the… fuck? Edward!" Alice flew out of the bedroom and grabbed me by the wrists. She pulled me out of their suite and shoved me across the hall and back into mine.

"What were you thinking!" Alice screeched at me while I slumped down into the couch in my room and rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands.

"I don't know," I groaned in embarrassment. "Mom said I could get her bag out of the bathroom to look for my shampoo and I just thought you two would be in the bedroom getting ready, so I walked right into the bathroom unannounced."

Alice huffed as she continued, "Well, Bella's not that mad. In fact, I think I heard her giggling right before we crossed the hallway. Just be thankful Emmett doesn't know. You are one lucky bastard right now."

Just then, Emmett sauntered in the room with an enormous bag of Doritos in his hands. "What did I miss?" He asked while he crunched four chips in his mouth at once and looked back and forth between Alice and me.

"Nothing," we both muttered.

"I was just leaving," Alice squeaked as she walked from the room.

Emmett shrugged his shoulders and plopped his oafish ass in the chair next to the couch. "Mind if I watch the game?"

"No. Go right ahead," I sighed.

I slumped down further on the couch and closed my eyes, linking my fingers and settling my hands behind my head. As much as I was worried Bella would hate me for barging in on her, I was actually rather pleased with myself. Her naked body, slightly pink after her shower, her perfect, round breasts and erect nipples bouncing as she brushed her hair. Fuck, I wanted to taste her. The image of her standing there would be burned in my brain forever. I smiled and thought to myself, _I saw Bella's breasts… Ha! Bella's boobies! Score!_

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_**A/N: Well, I hope this was as good for you as it was for me (or not... whatever). Please send me your love in the form of a review... they light up my inbox and make the hubs jealous.**

**Rec time: My new pre-reader, eviekinz has some awesome shizz over on her profile. She is on FF ****or you can find her on Twilighted under robing77. I must tell you that her stories are awesome, and for the full effect, you should follow her blog.**

**Side note: I promise this won't take long, so bare with me. It has come to my attention that children in DFS custody (which I am extremely familiar with) are never in witsec (which I'm only slightly familiar with) at the same time. Therefore, my story will have some minor changes to previous chapters. These changes will mostly be grammar related and the plot will not be touched. That being said, my title will not need to be changed as this story will still result in witness protection being utilized. For further details/questions/concerns regarding my fic, please PM me and I will more than happy to explain in greater detail.**

**Love to all! ;)**


	7. Protector

**A/N: Hello all my lovelies! So glad you're all joining me again! I love you all for staying tuned and feeding my inflated ego with subscribing and reviewing! Thanks for all the rec'ing, too!**

**I have to give a big shout out to my RAoR Angelz. Hey girlies! You make me smile bigger than hearing RPattz say he has a new Stoli! ::thud::**

**If you aren't a RAoR hoor, please go visit the site:** http(:/)robert(-)pattinson(.)ca(/) **We laugh all the time and get to swoon on a daily basis at the schmexy.**

**Big boobie grabs to my betas twifan82 and Jen's WordSong and my pre-reader eviekinz for pulling out all the stops to make this story pretty.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own a newly potty-trained three year old! ::happy dance::  
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*~*BPOV*~*

_That sneaky, little shit!_

I couldn't believe Edward just barged through the bathroom door without knocking. Why would he assume that no one would be in there if the door was closed? I even had Alice's iPod blaring on the counter. How did he not hear that?

Well, if I was really being honest with myself, I was flattered that he stared at me for so long. I mean, I looked up at the mirror before I even turned to face him and by then, he'd gotten one hell of a peep show, not to mention he was sporting a pretty good sized tent in his pants. I only yelled at him for Alice's benefit, but I knew she was on to me already. As she pulled Edward out of our room, she rolled her eyes at me and I tried to give her my best I-really-have-no-idea-what-you-mean face. She wasn't fooled, though, and I giggled as I heard her walk across the hall and deposit Edward back in his suite.

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like he'd done that on purpose. He had this smug expression on his face right before he covered his eyes and turned around. It was like catching a kid who'd just stolen three candy bars from grandma's purse and shoved them all in his mouth before she found out. Well, two could play at that game and I had the perfect plan for revenge.

I couldn't help but think this had undoubtedly been the best afternoon of my entire existence. _Edward saw my boobs, and my sexy panties, too!_ I was happier than I'd been in a long time, and I finished my hair in the bathroom as I heard Alice return to our room.

"Bella!" She yelled down the hall. "You'd better have a good explanation for why you left the door unlocked and let him ogle you for that long." She rounded the corner and huffed as she leaned against the open bathroom door.

"Alice, I had no idea he was going to come over here, let alone barge into the bathroom unannounced." I smirked as I stared at her, then finished pulling half my hair into a ponytail. "Besides, I left it open because I thought you were gonna help me with my clothes."

"Alright, well, just be careful next time, and don't let Emmett find out. I kinda like my brother… most of the time."

Alice pushed off the door and motioned for me to follow her into the bedroom. My clothes were laid out on the bed and I was a little nervous with the way it looked all sprawled out.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I suddenly regretted agreeing to let her dress me for this evening.

Lying on the bed was a navy blue sundress. I eyed it speculatively and Alice tried to reassure me that all would be fine; I just had to give it a chance. She picked the dress up off the bed and helped me get it over my head without messing up my hair. After she made sure it was sitting correctly on my frame, she pulled me over to the mirror and made me take a look.

I grudgingly opened my eyes and peered at my reflection. I was a little taken aback at how fuckhot I looked and complimented Alice on her clothing expertise. The top of the dress was a simple, navy blue, racer-back tank that was fitted to my hips, and it had white trim around the neck and arm lines. The tank was attached to a crotched skirt overlaying a soft, white lining and it ended just above my knees. The blue made my skin glow and the low cut of the top made my boobs look absolutely amazing.

"Wow, Alice. This really looks great," I admitted. "And it's so comfortable. Now, the shoes on the other hand… those look like death traps. Are you sure I can't just wear my sandals?" I pleaded with everything I had. There was no way I would make it out of the room, let alone navigate through an entire hotel with the heels she had set out for me.

"Well, you may have a good point there, Bella." She stared at my reflection in the mirror and tapped her finger on her lips while she thought about more suitable footwear for my clumsy ass. Then, her eyebrows popped up and she exclaimed, "Of course!" She turned to the closet, rummaged around in a bag and came out holding up a very sensible pair of white ballet flats.

"Ah, much better, Alice. Thank you for saving me the embarrassment of falling over my own feet tonight."

Alice smiled and winked as she said, "Great… okay, now for make-up!"

I groaned as I followed her into the bathroom again. She promised she wouldn't over do it, and I trusted her… to a point. When she started getting out the eyelash curler and other tools of pain, I stopped her and begged for mercy. She gave up after some heavy persuading on my part, and I was very happy with the result. Not so much make-up that I didn't look like me, but just enough that my eyes glittered and my cheeks were slightly rosy. Oh, and my lips looked extra kissable.

_Edward Cullen… here I come!_

By then, Esme returned and started getting ready in the bathroom while Alice finished up in the bedroom. After about twenty minutes, we were ready to meet the boys for dinner. Alice wore a short-sleeve, khaki shirt-dress with a matching tie-belt cinched around her waist and open-toed, sling-back kitten heels. Esme was beautiful in a dark green, sleeveless, square-neck jersey dress that ended just above the knees, that she wore with black high heels.

We walked across the hall and met up with the boys before heading down to _ART_. The elevator ride was interesting to say the least. Edward stood behind me and Alice, and every time I glanced at his reflection in the glass, I caught him staring at my ass and adjusting the bulge in his pants. I was in full blush mode from the heated stares Edward was producing by the time we exited the elevator. I had to thank Alice later for her great taste in clothes.

Of course, the restaurant was nothing short of spectacular with an inviting, open atmosphere and beautiful views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains. Simply breathtaking. We checked-in with the hostess and were quickly escorted to our table. When we received our menus, I noticed no prices were labeled next to the items. _Must be pricey._ This was definitely nicer than any place I had ever eaten before, and I glanced over at Emmett with a smile. He just shrugged like it was no big deal.

The table we sat at was round and oversized, yet still cozy enough where you didn't feel like you needed to yell. I was sitting with Alice on my right and Emmett on my left with Edward next to him, then Esme. I kept peeking at Edward in hopes that I would catch him staring, but he just had his eyes trained on his menu. He looked gorgeous in his vertical striped, button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up just above his elbows and the top few buttons undone. I could see the top of his white undershirt past the open buttons and it looked like his neck was a little flushed right at the collar. _Hmmm… I wonder what he's thinking._

Then, Edward looked over at me out of the corner of his eye. I blushed as I realized he was staring at my chest and the amazing cleavage Alice had created for me with a simple push-up bra. He swallowed thickly and straightened out in his chair when he noticed I was watching him blatantly gawk at me from across the table. He quickly turned back to his menu and grabbed his glass of water to take a long drink while we both blushed. I chuckled quietly to myself as I looked back at my menu, and I saw Alice slightly shake her head in disapproval.

I certainly didn't mind the extra attention, and I think Alice was really just wishing we would get over the awkward "love you from afar" stage and move right to the good parts. _Yes, the good parts… I bet Edward's parts are _very_ good._ But I knew she wouldn't push us, especially Edward. He was so distant, so much of a mystery that I wanted to break into his inner conscious and steal all his secrets. I wanted to know everything about him and, even though it scared me shitless, I wanted him to know my secrets, too. I also knew I was definitely not ready for that yet. I needed some serious therapeutic intervention, and I had yet to meet a shrink that made me feel comfortable enough to share my real feelings.

After dinner, we all went back up to our rooms and Alice decided it would be fun to rent an overpriced movie on the TV and goof off all night. Edward and Emmett went to their room to change into their pajamas while Alice and I did the same in our suite. While we waited for the boys, I called room service and ordered some ice cream, movie candy and sodas so we would have some snacks during the flick. It all arrived right as the boys were walking across the hall to our room.

"Awesome!" Emmett yelled when he walked in the sitting area. "Rocky Road ice cream and gummy worms! You're the best, Bells."

He smiled and walked around the pulled-out couch to the side I was lounging on and reached out a big hand to ruffle my hair. I dodged him not so gracefully and wound up sprawled out, very unlady-like across the span of the bed, with my face shoved in the pillows, my hands over my head, and my ass sticking up in the air. When I resurfaced from the sea of pillows, Alice, Edward and Emmett were all laughing hysterically at my expense. I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest as I repositioned myself to sit indian-style with my back pressed against a pillow sitting up on the back of the sofa-bed.

Alice grabbed my bowl of ice cream and passed it over to me as she climbed in the bed and sat to my right. She positioned herself the same as me and Edward sat to her right, with Emmett sitting on my left, both with their legs straight out, crossed at the ankles and their backs against pillows propped up behind them. The boys both had their bowls of ice cream and they also each carried over three boxes of their favorite candies. _Seriously, how do they not gain eighty pounds eating like that?_

The cinematic masterpiece of Alice's choosing was none other than _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_. Why she picked this movie for this particular evening was beyond me, but I was going to enjoy the moment and not let anything bother me.

We all laughed and Alice and Edward recited lines before the characters said them. I managed to pry some of the candy out of Emmett's death grip before he ate it all, but I never had the intention of actually eating it myself. I decided tearing off small pieces of gummy worms and using them as ammo was a far better use. I pegged Alice once, but when she gave me the glare of death, I quickly backed down from my assault. Edward, on the other hand, had about seven pieces in his ice cream bowl before the first fifteen minutes of the movie and he didn't seem fazed at all. I just kept throwing pieces at him, even going as far as to sit up on my knees, stare straight into his eyes and pelt him in the forehead. He just smiled, took a big bite of his ice cream and turned back to the movie. I was kind of getting a little frustrated that I couldn't make him react.

_What was with him tonight?_

He barely said two words to me at dinner and during the movie he only smiled and let me attack him with gummy worms. I was going to break him down… I had a plan, dammit!

After getting no response out of Edward, I just sat and watched the movie like a normal person. Emmett finished his ice cream and all three boxes of candy before the movie was half over and then he asked if he could have the rest of my ice cream. I reluctantly handed it over, and the goob actually licked out the bowl when he was finished. Gross!

When the credits started rolling, Alice came up with the brilliant idea to play truth or dare. Emmett was all for it, but Edward and I both looked like we might be physically sick just from the mere mention of the game. I pulled Alice into the bathroom and made her swear to me that she wouldn't ask any questions about feelings for other people and absolutely under no circumstances, could she ask about my past. She agreed, stating that this would be fun and I shouldn't be worried. _Then, why did I feel like my stomach was in my throat?_

We cleaned up our bowls and candy boxes and each grabbed a soda. Alice turned off the lights and crawled up into the pulled-out couch and I quickly followed. We both got under the sheet and sat with our backs against the pillows again, and the boys sat on the floor near the foot of the bed with their backs facing us. They started snickering back and forth like third graders and Alice cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" She waited, but no one answered. "Alright, I guess I'll go then… Edward, truth or dare?"

"Easy… dare." Edward sounded pretty confident, but I was still really apprehensive about having the little pixie at the helm of this crazy ship.

"Great… dare. Okay then. Edward, I dare you to take off your shirt."

"Um, okay… but that's not much of a dare, Alice." Edward pulled his shirt off over his head and threw it at Alice with a huge smirk on his face. She caught it easily with one hand and laid it down on the bed between us.

I couldn't help but stare as I watched his muscles ripple while he tossed the shirt, and that smirk made me want to kiss it right off his face. I felt my jaw slack open as he peeked over at me then slumped back to the floor next to Emmett.

Edward spoke from the floor. "Alice… truth or dare?"

"Truth, please," Alice chirped innocently from the bed.

"Hmm, truth… Who do you like at school… I mean, guys you like?"

"Edward, you know I don't like anyone. Any guys, anyway. He hasn't shown up yet." Alice looked contemplative like she knew who she was talking about would show up out of thin air.

"Okay. Whatever, Alice," Edward chided. "Your turn to ask again."

"Emmett… truth or dare." Alice's face lit up like she was ready for a challenge.

"Dare, baby! And make it a good one." _Jeez Emmett, could you be any cockier._

"All right… You have to strip and stand on the balcony while singing a show-tune of your choice… but make it a good one, because if I don't approve, you'll be doing it again with a song I choose."

Emmett's laughter boomed through the room. "Okay, you're on, Alice. Get ready for the performance of a lifetime."

One thing about my brother was he definitely wasn't shy. Apparently, when we were in the womb, I got all the lucky "shy genes" and Emmett got all the "confidence genes"… or maybe they were "cocky genes." Either way, Emmett specialized in dares and was up for any challenge anyone threw at him, even when that dickweed, Mike, made him drink from the toilet like a dog in that disgusting hell-hole we left in Colorado. Sure he was puking for a week, but he had _pride_. I yelled at him all week while I took care of him and cleaned him up after he blew chunks all over his bed and floor. I warned him I would never do that again.

_Pride, my ass! That was just gross!_

We all watched in amusement as Emmett did exactly what he was dared. After readily taking off his clothes and cupping his goods before standing on the balcony, he began singing the worst rendition of _Somewhere Over the Rainbow_. I was laughing so hard my stomach was starting to hurt, and thankfully Alice was pleased with the entertainment because I could barely catch my breath in between fits of laughter. She let him come back inside and return to the land of the clothed and civilized while we all calmed down and caught our breaths.

The rest of the night went smoothly… well, sort of. By the end of our game, Emmett had sung the entire soundtracks of _The Wizard of Oz_ and _The Sound of Music_, sans clothes of course, I was wearing Edward's tee shirt and boxers, and Edward was sporting my tank top and boy-shorts. Alice, however, was relatively unscathed, all except for the gummy worm pieces we made her shove in her nose. _That was the first and only dare she took all night, mind you._ But, shit! We had fun! The most fun I'd ever had with a family, and I never wanted it to stop.

It was nearing midnight and Alice suggested we all hit the sack so we could get up bright and early for her day of torture… uh, I mean shopping. Edward and Emmett said their good nights and went off to their room across the hall. And holy mother of all that's good, Edward's ass looked fucking hot in my boy-shorts. As he walked out the room, I intently watched his movements. The shorts were just short enough that the bottom curve of his cheeks stuck out. He had the most luscious, rock hard ass and I had to keep reminding myself that Alice and Emmett were there otherwise I would have run after him and smacked it… you know… just to check the firmness.

_I bet that would be the best sound in the history of the universe!_

The front view wasn't half bad either. His pecs were pushing against the tank top and it was entirely too short to cover his whole torso, so it left a good two inch strip of muscled abdomen showing. _Damn, this boy was ripped!_ Unfortunately, Edward was in a hurry to get back to his room, so I didn't get the best view of his front, but when I let my gaze travel in the southerly direction, I noticed he was packing some serious heat. His package was straining against the shorts, but he wasn't even hard. I was actually starting to sweat thinking about having Edward's junk in my shorts. It was making me think all kinds of inappropriate things and I shook my head to clear my runaway thoughts.

Right before he shut the door on his way out, I looked at his face and he blushed the deepest shade of red I'd ever seen. He'd caught me staring at him and I blushed in response. I smiled shyly and he half smirked as he turned to leave.

_Edward Cullen will be the death of me._

Alice and I talked for another half hour before finally saying good night. I had a difficult time falling asleep because I kept thinking about why Edward was being so distant. He was such a mystery to me, so closed off. I silently vowed to myself that I would get up early and talk to him tomorrow before we left to shop.

As I laid there and thought of how to start that conversation, I remembered I was still wearing his shirt and boxers. I lifted the top of the shirt up to my face and took in all that was Edward. It was magnificent… intoxicating… perfect, like spicy cinnamon, warm chocolate, and just a hint of soothing vanilla. I nestled my face in his shirt and fell quickly asleep to wonderful dreams of being surrounded by Edward.

/~/+/~/

The next morning, I was awake by six o'clock and decided to put my master plan of getting Edward to spill into effect. I quickly showered and changed into the usual jeans and fitted shirt and sauntered over to the boy's room. I heard the shower running and someone was rustling around in the bedroom, so I decided to take my chances and see if I could get a glimpse of Edward's goods. Tip-toeing down the hallway to the bathroom, I reached for the handle and slowly turned it so I wouldn't make any noise. I sneaked a quick glance past the door and saw the mirror was completely steamed up, ruining my chance of seeing into the shower in the corner. Not that it really would have mattered anyway, because the shower doors were just as steamed up. Undeterred, I stepped completely into the bathroom and shut the door. I was on a mission and no one was going to stop me. Walking slowly to the shower, I grabbed the handle and yanked open the door.

"What the fuck!" Emmett screamed.

"My eyes!" I cursed and shielded my face from the nakedness that was my brother.

"You weren't supposed to be in here, Emmett!" I really didn't know why I was yelling at him, but I was so pissed that it wasn't Edward that I was ready to brutally rip Emmett a new one.

"Who the hell did you think… Oh, crap! Bella, seriously?" Emmett turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist.

"Sorry, Emmett. I'll just be going."

I turned to the door to leave just as Edward came down the hall.

"Hey, man. Why were you yel-" Edward stopped directly in the bathroom door, mid-step and stared at me. He was wearing nothing but his pajama pants and they were resting dangerously low on his hips. I was getting lost in his "V" when he spoke.

"Bella?"

"I, uh, well…" _Why can't I speak? Oh yeah… must be the power of the "V."_

"I have to go." I pushed past Edward and started running for the door when I tripped turning the corner and braced myself for impact.

It never happened. Instead, strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me up right before my face met the floor. Edward spun me around and held me to his chest. Facing him, I looked into his eyes and saw… confusion… anger… protectiveness? Emotions flashed across his face so quickly I wasn't entirely sure what I'd seen. He stared into my eyes for what seemed like hours, but were mere seconds. It felt like my mind would explode from the force of his gaze, and I had to look away before I melted in his arms.

I felt the blush creep into my cheeks as he released his grip around my waist and set me back on my feet. As I steadied myself, I shook my head to clear my thoughts. _What was it I was doing here? Ah yes, getting Edward to talk. Bella recon mission is a go._ Walking over to the couch, I peeked up at Edward from under my eyelashes. He followed me and we sat on either end of the couch with our backs against the armrests. I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs and Edward curled one leg under himself and the other was hanging off the side of the couch.

"Uh, thanks for that… I mean, thanks for saving my face from third degree rug burn." I rolled my eyes. _Yes, Bella. Humor cures all… idiot!_

Edward chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair, making it even more disheveled than before. "What are you doing here, Bella?"

"I was bringing back your clothes from truth or dare… and I… I needed to talk to you."

"And you thought that would be best accomplished by finding me in the shower?" He smirked and stared straight into my eyes.

"Um… well, the shower was me trying to get back at you for seeing me yesterday." Edward noticeably straightened at the thought and I buried my face in my legs.

"Bella, I'm sorry for that. I really had no idea you were in there."

He sounded genuinely sorry, so I let it slide. I really wasn't that upset he'd seen me. I just wanted to see him, too. _All's fair in love and war, baby._

Lifting my head, I continued. "That's fine. I'm just confused why you barely talked to me last night. You seemed really distracted and I was just trying to understand why."

Edward sighed and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. He whispered something under his breath, then said, "Don't think I'm crazy, okay… but I keep getting this feeling like someone is watching us. I've got all these thoughts bouncing around in my head and I can't seem to make them to go away. They just keep getting louder, and when we were at dinner, my head was practically gonna explode with how loud they were."

He stopped and took a deep breath. I'd never seen him so worried. It was really scaring me.

"Bella… I just keep thinking something is gonna happen… and… I just… man, you're really gonna think I've lost my mind." Edward huffed and turned his body so both feet were planted on the floor and he hid his face in his hands with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Edward, why would I think you're crazy? I'm the one that went off the handle the other night and screamed at you for something that saved me." I paused and looked away from him, glancing at the floor. "You should think I'm crazy."

Edward shook his head and turned so he was facing me again. "You're definitely not crazy. You had every right to be mad at me. It's not my place to look into your personal life. But, I'm starting to wonder if I really am losing my mind."

"Will you tell me why you feel that way?" I questioned him as I scooted closer to him on the couch. We were so close. I felt that same electric current running off his body and shooting straight through mine.

We both shivered at the new proximity and he stared at me with such intensity that I almost fell off the couch. He took in a deep breath and ran his right hand over the back of his neck as he spoke.

"Bella, with all these thoughts and sensing someone watching us, I can't help but feel very protective of you." He winced as the words left his mouth, but continued. "I was so quiet and stand-offish because I was watching everyone around us, trying to get a better read on who might be staring. When we got back to the room after dinner, I was feeling slightly more relaxed, but I'm not sure how today is gonna go with you away from me."

I was dumbfounded. Edward was sensing the same things I was and he was feeling protective… of _me_. Why would he be feeling like he had to protect me? What was I to him? I was just some helpless, insignificant foster kid he was stuck with until high school graduation, then he could forget all about me and never have to deal with me again. But why would he have said those things? He must have meant it, otherwise he would have blown me off already.

My head was starting to reel from the revelation. I felt my cheeks blush as I looked down at my hands and played with the hem of my shirt. Edward reached toward me and grabbed my hands, stilling them in my lap and sending a shock through my whole body.

"Please, say something. I have to know what you're thinking," Edward pleaded.

"I… I'm not sure what to say. But, thank you… for feeling like you need to protect me. I've never had anyone other than Emmett give two shits about me before. It's a nice change." I looked up at his face and willed myself not to cry. Tears were welling up in my eyes and I really didn't want to cry. _No wonder boys think I'm so crazy… I turn into a blubbering idiot at the drop of a hat._

I blinked and felt a single tear creep down my face. Edward released my hands and ran his thumb over my cheek to sweep away the traitorous tear.

"Don't cry, Bella. Please. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry."

"No, Edward. I'm okay. I'm thankful for you and your family. You really are the best thing that ever happened to me and Emmett. We couldn't have picked a better family. I'm still trying to get used to people being so caring. It's not in my nature to trust anyone so implicitly, and it's got me all bipolar."

He chuckled at that and took my left hand in his right, his thumb tracing lazy circles on the back. Our heads were so close I could feel his breath on my lips. I hadn't realized we had shifted within centimeters of each other and were on the brink of kissing. I held my breath and got lost in the sensation of everything Edward. I didn't even hear Emmett walk into the room.

"Hey, you two. What's goin' on?" Emmett stood at the edge of the room glaring at Edward, and we both straightened up and I pulled my hand from his. Emmett was in "macho brother" mode and I knew I'd have to intervene before he sent Edward running for the hills.

"Nothing's goin' on, Emmett." I frowned at him, gaining his attention when I spoke. "Edward was just comforting me. I'm gonna go see if Alice needs help getting stuff ready to go. I'll let you two finish getting ready."

I peeked over at Edward and saw a faint smile on his lips as I got up to leave. I couldn't help but smile back and walked out the door and across the hall. As soon as I stepped back into my room, Alice was yelling orders at me of things that needed to be completed before we left.

After getting all the necessary supplies in order, Esme, Alice, and I met the boys in the lobby and waited for the valet to bring around the SUV. Alice had everything planned out down to the minute of where we would shop, how long we would have at each store, how much we could spend, and when we would eat. The itinerary was enough to make your head spin, and with Alice in charge, I felt like I might hurl before the ride was over.

We really had an awesome day, even though Alice wouldn't let the boys leave us to go off alone. Edward seemed relieved by that, and I certainly was, too, but Alice seemed to have ulterior motives. She was really tense all day and was actually getting flustered, which didn't seem like Alice at all. Esme kept asking her if something was bothering her, but Alice kept down playing it like she was just lost in thought. It really started to creep me out, especially when she stared into space for a good thirty seconds while she held up a pair of shoes in mid air. It took Edward three tries to get her attention, and by then she couldn't even remember picking up the shoes in the first place.

_Must be all the caffeine… it can't be good for such a tiny body._

We ate lunch and dinner on the go and stopped to see a movie before heading back to the hotel. The boys decided they were still hungry, _surprise, surprise,_ so they ordered up room service to our suite and rented a PS3 to battle it out while we chowed. Esme retired to her room to read while we busied ourselves in the sitting area, debating which games to play.

"I vote for _Grand Theft Auto IV_," said Alice plopping her tiny butt on the couch to my left.

"No way," interrupted Emmett as he nudged her shoulder and sat on the floor in front of the couch. "We have to play _Halo 3_."

Edward laughed and shook his head, taking up residence next to Emmett on the floor and next to my legs hanging off the couch. "We need to play a game that at least two people can play at a time. How about _DiRT2_? It's racing, so Alice you'll like it, and it's competitive, so Emmett you should be good with that too."

Emmett and Alice both agreed that would be a good choice. I didn't care what we played, as long as Edward stayed leaning against my legs. As long as I was touching some part of him, I was calm.

Just then, there was a knock at the door and I jumped up to get our room service. I peeked through the peep hole and couldn't see the server's face because he was fiddling with the food on the trays. I released the dead bolt and opened the door.

"Good evening," said the server as he lifted his face. "I believe you ordered room service this evening."

My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't even scream. It felt like all the blood rushed out of my head and went straight to my feet, rooting me to the spot. The last thing I remembered was Edward asking what was wrong as he walked up behind me.

Then darkness consumed me once more.

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**A/N: So... please don't all hate on me at once. This effing cliffie was a necessary evil. Just so you all know, chapter 8 is complete and waiting for the beta-ships to sail. I will post as fast as humanly possible... but if you review... I will give you a tease! ;)**

**Rec time: A fellow RAoR Angel has an excellent, SMOKIN' HOT story that you all have to read! rpgirl27 is writing _Enchante. _This is a period piece that swept me off my feet. Beautifully written and sexy! Tell her I sent you when you give her love and review!  
**


	8. Intruder

**A/N: Okay, I'll make this short 'cus I know you all wanna get to the good part.**

**Thanks to my betas twifan82, Jen's WordSong, eviekinz, and Jenny Cullen! You all set my panties on fire better than a big screen leg hitch! ungh!**

**Big hugs and kisses to all my readers for waiting so patiently for this update. I love you all so hard! (That's what she said!)**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. WP is mine, and because this is neat - © twicrack83 2010**

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*~*EPOV*~*

I sat on the floor in front of the couch, reclining against Bella's legs that were dangling down. When there was a knock at the door, she pushed against my back with her legs and I leaned forward so she could get up. As I watched her open the door and stare at the server, I sensed her fear. She stiffened and slowly started inching her feet back into the room. _Why would she be afraid?_

"Bella, what's wrong?" I questioned worriedly.

No sooner had the words left my mouth I was running to her and caught her before she collapsed to the floor. I knelt down and cradled her in my arms to make sure she was breathing. Her pulse was pounding and she was trembling slightly. Just then Emmett came over to ensure Bella hadn't hit her head, when he looked up and saw the server. I'd never seen anyone shake so violently with rage. Emmett's face and ears were turning red and verging on purple. His hands were in tight fists at his sides and he seemed like he was preparing himself for the fight of his life.

"What the fuck are you doing here, James?" Emmett whispered, controlling his temper and gathering energy to strike.

My head was trying to catch up. Who was James? Why would Bella be afraid, and why would Emmett look like he wanted to rip his head off?

_Oh fuck! There's no way! This can't be happening. James… the same James that killed… oh, holy shit!_

"I… I'm sorry," the server stammered, looking increasingly uncomfortable and ready to bolt down the hall. "I'm not sure who you mean."

"Don't fuck with me, James. I'll rip you apart for what you did." Emmett took two steps forward and stood directly in front of the server, blocking his path to Bella and me. He was vibrating with rage now and I was worried I would have to restrain him before he did anything drastic.

By this point, the server looked extremely panicked and was backing up toward the door with his hands up in the air, shaking.

"Look, man. I have no idea who James is, but I can assure you I'm not him. My name is Caius."

I looked up at Emmett's face and saw a flash of uncertainty, but he recovered before the server noticed. Then I heard Mom walk out of the bedroom and she stopped immediately behind me after rounding the corner.

"What's going on here?" she questioned.

I picked up Bella and carried her over to the couch to lay her down. She was still trembling but there were no signs of her waking up. I anxiously looked up to Mom and saw fear wash over her face.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." The server looked over at my mother and apologized. "I didn't mean to be a problem, but this guy," he pointed over to Emmett, "seems to think I'm someone else."

"Emmett, you need to tell me what's going on right now." Mom was trying to stay as calm as possible, but her voice was shaky.

"We need to call the police, Esme," Emmett deadpanned, but never took his eyes off of the server. His voice was shaky, but it seethed with ferocity.

"I already called," said Alice. "They'll be here in five minutes."

_What? I didn't even notice her on the phone, and I never heard her dialing or talking to anyone._

Alice was kneeling in front of the couch, next to Bella's feet, while I knelt at Bella's head with my back facing Alice. I turned my head so I could see Alice out of the corner of my eye. She started whispering so fast, I could barely make out what she was saying.

"I'm texting dad. The police said not to let that guy leave… no matter what. They sounded really worried on the phone. I'll stay with Bella. You need to go help Emmett and keep him from hurting the server. Just keep him here, in this room."

I nodded slightly and took one last look at Bella's face. She was stirring now and her eyelids were fluttering. Alice took my place when I went to stand next to Emmett.

"Mom, you need to help Alice," I whispered as I walked past her. She stared straight into my eyes and adrenaline started coursing through my veins. I tried to give her my best "I've got this under control" look, but when I saw a tear fall down her cheek, I almost lost it. I couldn't stand to see my mother cry, and I was trying to keep my composure to stay in control of this crazy ass situation.

I made myself look over to the server before I had a chance to break down. I walked up to stand next to Emmett and whispered to him, "We have to keep him here, but we can't hurt him."

Emmett's body continued vibrating with anger. I knew I had to keep him as calm as possible. His body language was screaming that he wanted to attack the server, but I couldn't let that happen.

"Emmett… dude, calm down. If you hurt him, you'll get in trouble. He hasn't done anything to us here, and he said his name wasn't James. If you want justice, then wait until the police get here."

My words seemed to aggravate Emmett even more and the server was inching his way closer to the door the longer we deliberated. I had to make a move and the server was my main source of worry at that point. I decided the best way to make him stay was to physically hold him there, and I was confident Emmett would be all for holding him against his will.

"Caius? Is that what you said your name was?" I asked the server as I stepped closer to him.

"Yeah. Dude, what's goin' on? I'm not whoever he thinks I am. And is that girl okay? She didn't hit her head, did she?" The server's eyes were huge and he still had his hands up in a sign of surrender.

"She's fine. And I'm not convinced you're not who he says you are, so we're gonna need you to stay here until we can get this sorted out, all right?"

I took two quick steps toward the server and grabbed his wrist right as he made a frantic dash for the hallway. I flung his body back into the suite and slammed the door shut.

"Emmett!" I screamed. "Help me, now! You have to keep him here!"

By then, I was struggling with the server who was trying to escape. He was clawing and tugging at my hand wrapped around his wrist while I shoved him against the wall. Emmett flew in behind him and pulled both the server's arms around his back and shoved him to the floor with a deafening thud. Emmett was easily a head taller than the server and at least fifty more pounds. He never stood a chance at escaping, with his face buried in the carpet and Emmett practically sitting on his back to incapacitate him.

"Let me… hmmmph… go, you… ggrrrnnn… prick!" The server was trying to wiggle free, but Emmett had a perfect hold on him. There was no way he was going anywhere.

"Let you go?" Emmett yelled. "Why would I let you go? You think you deserve that after all the pain you caused my family, you disgusting piece of shit? I fucking hate you for what you did, and now you're going to pay. Stay still, jackass! You're not getting out of here until the police take care of you!" Emmett paused and looked up at me. "Thanks, man. I got this. You go check on Bella."

After getting the go ahead nod from Emmett, I went back over to the couch where Bella started to mumble incoherently.

"No… don't… must… help."

Alice was now holding Bella's head in her lap, running her fingers through Bella's hair.

"Bella. Shh. Wake up. You're okay." Alice was trying to soothe Bella, but she was still trembling. I peeked at Alice's face and saw she had tears streaming down her cheeks. Mom was sitting on the opposite end of the couch with Bella's feet in her lap, and she was crying, too.

"Alice… Mom… we're fine," I said, interrupting their cry-fest and trying to calm them down. "Emmett's got this under control. Nothing happened. We just have to wait for the police and…"

"You don't get it, Edward," seethed Alice. "Bella's been through so much, and if that's really James, she's just been thrown right back into the thick of it. She's terrified and that's why she's unconscious. So don't tell us to calm down. You're just as scared shitless as us right now, and I'm about this close to ripping that guy a new one for what he did to Bella."

_Wow… okay… not fucking with Alice right now._

I peered down at Bella's face again and knelt down in front of the couch. I reached out my hand and touched her pale cheek while she whimpered. When our skin connected, it was like I was a calming force for her. She immediately started relaxing and her trembling lessened dramatically. Alice noticed it too, because she offered to switch places with me so I could hold Bella.

We carefully moved around so Bella was in my lap. I continued to stroke her cheek as I whispered to her, "Bella… please, wake up. Emmett's got the guy and the police are coming. Please, Bella. Open your eyes. Talk to me."

I was trying to stay strong for her, and I didn't want her to see me scared. I had to protect her, keep her safe, even if that meant putting on a brave face so she would think everything was under control.

Her silence was tearing me apart inside, though. I wanted so badly to shake her awake and tell her that she was going to be fine, but even I wasn't positive we would all make it out of here in one piece. As that thought occurred to me, I began to realize the gravity of the situation. If that guy _was_ James, we were in serious shit. If that guy _wasn't_ James, why did Bella and Emmett overreact? I'd never seen pictures of James, so I had no clue what he looked like, but apparently he resembled the server enough that they jumped the gun and started freaking out.

_Man, this is jacked up. This James guy did some seriously fucked up shit to Bella and Emmett for them to flip out like this._

Even worse, I started thinking about what really happened to Bella. I had no clue what James did to her, but she must have experienced some hard-core fuckery to pass out on the spot like that. Anger swept over me as I watched Emmett holding the server to the floor. All I could think about was tearing that asshole to shreds, but Alice sensed my mood change and grabbed my hand.

"Edward, don't. Bella needs you right now. She'll be awake soon and you're a major comfort to her. Don't get all riled up."

I smirked at Alice and, sure enough, Bella's eyes started slowly opening. She looked into my eyes as I tried to coax her further out of her stupor.

"Bella. Are you okay?" I gave her my best crooked smile. "You were mumbling for a while. We weren't sure when you'd wake up."

"Emmett… where's Emmett?" Bella spoke but her voice was scratchy from being unconscious. She tried to get up from my lap but I gently kept her there.

"Emmett's holding the server on the floor. You need to stay here until you wake up more or you'll pass out again."

"I have to save him." Bella was frantic now. She was pushing against me and clambering to get off the couch. I helped steady her as she stood up and wobbled. She stared over at the floor where Emmett had the server pinned between his knee and the carpet.

"Hey Bells. Nice to see you again," joked Emmett, relaxing when he saw Bella was finally awake. "I got him. Don't worry. He's not goin' anywhere."

As soon as Emmett spoke, the police barged through the door. Three officers flew into the room with their pistols drawn and started scanning the room. One officer knelt down next to Emmett and the server, while the other two swept through the suite, securing the premises.

"Is this the guy?" The first officer questioned Emmett.

"Yeah, this is James." Emmett relinquished control of the server to the officer after handcuffs were placed and rubbing his face on the floor one more time… for good measure, of course.

Emmett walked over to Bella and put his arm around her, whispering in her ear and squeezing her into his side. He released her and she sat down on the couch between me and Mom. She gave me one last, worried look and then buried her face in her hands and started crying. Mom wrapped her arms around Bella's small body and cradled her head under her chin while she slowly rocked her back and forth.

"Sweet Bella," Mom comforted her. "Please don't cry. It's over now. The police are here and he's being taken in for questioning. He can't hurt you now."

"No… that's not why I'm crying." Bella paused, wiped off her tears and looked up at Esme. "I'm crying because that wasn't James."

_What?_

_

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_

*~*BPOV*~*

_Oh shit, shit, fuckity shit! My life sucks… have I mentioned that before?_

When I scrambled up off the couch to help Emmett pummel that low life, I knew something wasn't right. There was no way Emmett would have been able to single-handedly keep James pinned to the floor. James was a crafty mother fucker and Emmett surely would have been bleeding by now… or worse.

I stopped dead in my tracks after Edward steadied me next to the couch, and stared down at the server. When I passed out before, I was so sure that he was James, but I guess being unconscious helped me to remember a few key things.

The last sight I remembered before I "went under" was eerie, deep blue eyes. After I opened the door and the server lifted his face, all I could think was my life was over for sure. He had his dirty blonde hair tied back in a short ponytail, just like James wore on _that_ night. He seemed about the same height I remembered, but I forgot to calculate that I'd grown about four inches since then, so the server was really too tall to be James. The face structure was the same with pointed cheek bones, a crooked nose, and a square jaw… but the scar was missing. And then… the eyes. Those creepy, fear-inducing, deep set eyes that caused my flight response to kick in and my body to panic.

I passed out from shock… the shock of thinking that bastard had found us. But now, all that was happening was a clusterfuck of epic proportions. That definitely wasn't James and now Emmett got to add false imprisonment to his record.

_DFS is gonna have a shit-fest with this… Oh, no. No, no no! They're gonna make us move again._

The second that thought crossed my mind, I glanced over at Edward on the couch. I don't even remember sitting down, but when Esme started rocking me and talking, I realized no one knew what was going through my mind. I had to tell them because I couldn't move again, and getting that innocent server in trouble was a sure-fire way of getting us shipped off.

"No… that's not why I'm crying." I paused, wiped off my tears and looked up at Esme. "I'm crying because that wasn't James."

I felt Edward stiffen behind me, Esme gasped, and Alice's eyes were the size of saucers. Then Emmett broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Bella, you're full of it," he snickered. "What the hell are you talking about? That was definitely James."

I stared at Emmett, willing him to remember, wanting him to realize what I'd just figured out. After a few seconds, I was getting frustrated and decided his thick head would never get it.

"Em, you're seriously more delirious than I thought." I turned my body away from Esme so I faced Emmett, and gave him my best hurry-up-your-brain-dipshit look, but that didn't seem to help matters either.

"Think harder, Em," I pressed. "Remember what happened for just a second. What was the server missing that you should've definitely recognized?"

I was really worried Emmett was going to hurt himself thinking so hard. But it was like a thousand fireworks went off in his head when he finally realized what he'd overlooked. His face contorted into a million different emotions, but he settled with pain right before burying his face in his hands.

"Shit, Bells," Emmett mumbled. "Why didn't you say something? I could have really hurt that poor guy."

"But you didn't," I retorted. "No use in beating yourself up about it. It was my fault I overreacted. You were just protecting me."

I walked across the room and sat on the floor next to Emmett and wrapped my arm around his massive shoulders. He was crying, but he would never want the others to know, so I kept it to myself. After I rested my head on his shoulder, I noticed the confused faces staring down at us on. Truthfully, I didn't know how to start explaining this disaster, but I knew I couldn't tell everything.

_Stick to the basics… that's always a good plan._

"Well, before you all jump in there and start asking questions," I started, "I want to let you all know, that this is not a good time for me to tell you everything. With that being said, I will only answer questions I'm comfortable with at this time. Agreed?"

Esme, Edward, and Alice all continued staring with utterly lost expressions on their faces. I waited an appropriate amount time, like thirty seconds, and no one moved an inch. Clearly, they were all still stunned.

_Okay, so this was going to be a one woman show… got it._

"All right then. I'll only tell you the key issues at hand." I gripped Emmett's shoulder harder as a sob escaped him. He needed reassurance right now and that was my main concern, and he knew I wouldn't go overboard with the details.

"Em, you know I'm only gonna tell what they need to hear, nothing more." I whispered into his ear so only he would hear me. "Relax and be brave with me. I need my big teddy bear right now, okay?"

He nodded slightly and casually wiped his face on his sleeve while he lifted his head. His eyes were bloodshot and all the color had drained from his cheeks. He gave me a weak smile and wrapped his arm around my shoulders for moral support.

"Well, here goes nothing." I turned my attention back to Edward, Esme, and Alice… all still bewildered, mind you. "The night _it_ happened, Emmett and I fought back against James. The police think this is why we're still alive."

I scanned their faces to make sure I hadn't lost them… yep, all still confuzzled. Really, at this point, I was just happy they hadn't gone running for the hills. I decided to continue and hoped they didn't all chime in at once.

_Captivated crowd, let me tell you..._

"Well, when we fought back, we used the chainsaw and somehow it connected with the left side of James' face, leaving him without an ear and part of his cheek. The police that went to the crime scene found his flesh there and, well… that's really all I want to say about that now. But if that server was James… he would've had a gnarley scar on his face."

Comprehension swept across their faces. Edward was first, then Alice and finally Esme, but no one said a word. They only moved slightly with each breath, but otherwise remained completely motionless. Emmett looked over at me and half smiled while he shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you think they're okay?" asked Emmett.

"I'm not entirely sure," I responded. "They've been through a lot. Maybe we should give them a minute."

_Ha! They've been through a lot. Sometimes I crack myself up!_

Edward reached his hand up and ran it through his hair, scratching his scalp, while blinking several times. Esme started wringing her hands while they lay in her lap, and her eyes were darting back and forth between all our faces. Alice seemed tense but was still staring into space. Her back was rigid while she sat on the floor, crossing and uncrossing her ankles every few seconds.

"Um… are you guys gonna be all right?" I couldn't stand the silence anymore. We had to get to the police and tell them about our revelation so that poor server could get back to his life of carting around food to lazy, paying customers.

Alice spoke first. "Mom, we need to call the police. Dad said he would be here by midnight, so that gives us about an hour and a half before he shows up."

Her face was emotionless as she spoke. She just stared straight ahead. It looked like she was running calculations through her spiky, little head.

"Yes," Esme agreed. "I'll call your father and let him know what's going on. Bella, you need to talk with the police, and do it quickly please, or that poor server's going to spend the night in a dingy jail cell."

Esme smiled down at me while she got up from the couch then walked to the bedroom and shut the door. Edward was now running both his hands through his hair. It was really becoming a beautiful mess, but I couldn't focus on that at the moment. I was starting to get increasingly worried that he was furious with me for panicking, and I didn't want him to hate me for endangering his family.

"Edward, I'm so sorry. I didn't…"

"Bella, just don't," Edward interrupted.

I was right. He was livid. His face was contorted in what looked like agony, and I immediately regretted placing him in this terrifying position. I wanted nothing more than to disappear into a hole and have someone bury me alive. Dying would've been a welcome relief from the excruciating torture of seeing his disappointment.

"Bella." Edward got up from the couch and stood directly in front of me and Emmett. "You are the most ridiculous girl I've ever known."

I looked up and saw that perfect, crooked smile on his face. How does he do that… go from pissed off and furious one second to gentle and caring the next?

_His mood swings are giving me whiplash._

"What… why?" I questioned.

"You have no need to be sorry, Bella. You reacted like anyone else would have in that situation. Do you think we're mad at you?"

"Well, yeah… I was… until you said that, but now I'm just confused and worried." I peered into his eyes and saw nothing but acceptance there.

"Why are you worried? Nothing's gonna happen. That wasn't even James." Edward looked confused and he started rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"I'm just worried that we're gonna get sent away again, and I can't take it." I searched his face for any indication that he didn't want us here, but I couldn't find anything but concern.

"Bella, we would never send you away, especially not while you're frightened and really in need of a family to take care of you. We'll protect you no matter what, and I mean that with every fiber of my being. My father won't allow it either, so please… please don't worry."

That same look of pain washed over his face again as he peered down at me. I felt awful for doubting his family and I vowed to never doubt their compassion again.

"I'm sorry, Edward. It's just… that's the only thing we know. Something happens like this and that's the first thing DFS does… ship us off to another family. I won't survive another move. I just don't have enough strength anymore."

I started crying softly and looked down at my hands in my lap, tears falling down my cheeks. Edward took a step toward me and stopped. Emmett glanced over at me, gave me a squeeze on my shoulders and got up from the floor.

"Bells, I'll be right back. Make sure I'm here before you call the police, okay?" Emmett gave Edward a friendly smack on the back and started walking out of the room when I stopped him.

"Em, we should just call them now and get it over with." I called to him right before he stepped into the hall, wiping the tears from my face.

"Okay, that's fine." Emmett turned around and walked back to stand next to Edward. "Dude, which phone should we use?"

Edward had a look of concern on his face as he handed Emmett his cell phone. He kept staring at me and all I could do was hope this all went away without anything terrible happening… especially to that server.

"Bella, do you want me to call instead?" Emmett offered.

"No. I started this whole mess, and I need to make sure he doesn't get into any more trouble. I feel bad enough as it is."

Emmett handed me the phone and went to sit on the couch. Edward turned to walk to the couch, but quickly changed his mind and sat down next to me on the floor instead. He crossed his legs and bumped my shoulder with his before smiling at me and patting my knee. I returned the smile, took a deep breath and dialed the police.

The phone call was slightly disturbing. All the officers that came to the hotel were convinced the poor server was actually James, and it took me about forty-five minutes to convince them otherwise. Edward stayed next to me the entire time, comforting me by rubbing tiny circles on my lower back or mindlessly running his fingers through the ends my hair. Every once in a while, I glanced up to Emmett on the couch and he would give me a reassuring smile or nod.

Unfortunately, the end of the phone call had me trembling, and I felt like I might pass out again. After explaining the situation to six different officers, I was eventually transferred to a detective.

"Isabella, right?" questioned the detective on the phone.

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"We're gonna need you and your brother to come in to the station right now. We have some issues to discuss."

_Fuck my life._

_

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**A/N: So... it wasn't James! Was it everything you hoped it to be? Or not? Let me know with a review!**

**Rec time: So the hubs thought it would be fun to see if he could write FF and get more readers/followers than me. I thought I'd help in out by giving him a rec. I will warn you that he writes Twilight parodies, even though he doesn't label them as such. They are pretty funny if you like that sorta thing, but they never end the way you think. His profile name is ****sovereignvision and here is the link (minus the spaces): **http : / / www . fanfiction . net / u / 2325495 /

**I also want to rec an awesome new story I picked up on recently. It's BDSM for those who are so inclined, with DomBella and SubEdward, who is a vamp. It's AWESOME! You must read it if you haven't already. It's _Sub Plans_ by SnowWhiteHeart: **http : / / www . fanfiction . net / s / 5894804 / 1 / Sub _ Plans


	9. Victims

**A/N: Hello all my beautiful readers! I think this may be one of the fastest updates ever for me. Thank you all for sticking around, and hello to all my new favorites and alerts. I am completely convinced someone rec'd me and I would love to give you a proper thank you, so drop me a line so I can send you my love! Big titty grabs to all!**

**As always, thanks to my betas twifan82, Jen's WordSong, eviekinz, and Jenny Cullen. I also have to say congrats to twifan82 who welcomed her second little girl into the world this morning! Yay for cute little babies!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own sticky kids. Damn lollipops. © 2010 twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

I hung up the phone after getting directions from the detective. Still trembling in fear, I turned to Edward and explained we would have to leave as soon as his father arrived and go to the police station for questioning. We informed Esme and waited for Carlisle to show up.

"Emmett," I said, walking over and sitting on the couch. "The detective said he wanted to talk about 'issues.' I'm so scared they're gonna make us move again."

I broke down. Tears started streaming down my face and I was sobbing uncontrollably. Emmett slid across the couch closer to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders to comfort me. I buried my face in my hands and turned toward his chest.

"Bells," he whispered. "We're gonna be fine. I won't let them move us again. I couldn't handle it either."

He squeezed me and rested his chin on my head. I finished crying and wiped my tears as someone knocked on the door. Alice went to open it and Carlisle walked in carrying his messenger bag, still in his scrubs from the hospital. He looked exhausted and frustrated. His face was paler than I remembered and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"Alice," Carlisle said, his voice breaking. "I'm so glad you're all right. Where's your mother? I need to speak with her."

"She's packing in the bedroom, Dad." Alice paused, glanced at me, then quickly turned back to Carlisle. "And, we have to leave really soon to get to the police station. The detective told Bella they need to talk with her and Emmett."

She stepped closer to him and grabbed him around the waist for a hug. I heard her whisper something that almost sounded like "so scared" but I wasn't sure. Carlisle released Alice from their hug and walked back to the bedroom without even glancing at me or Emmett. I immediately went on the defensive in response to Carlisle's avoidance, and I cowered closer to Emmett. As Carlisle walked down the hall, he rubbed the back of his neck and nodded over at Edward on the floor but didn't say anything.

"Oh no," I whispered in fear. "Carlisle wants us gone. I knew this would never last, and we've not even been here a week."

I looked up at Emmett and felt him start to shake. He peered at me and said, "If they don't want us, then we'll run away. We can survive on our own. That's basically what we've done the past five years anyway."

He scowled over at Edward while I wiped away more tears as they fell down my cheeks. I knew we could survive on our own, but I just didn't want to believe Carlisle had it in him to ship us off again. The first night we met this family was the best night of my life, and I'd stupidly let myself begin to think we were actually going to be okay. I let myself hope for the first time since my parents died, and now all I wanted to do was scream at myself for how foolish I'd been to believe this family truly loved us.

Of course this was too good to be true. Why would this perfect family want to deal with two foster home rejects? Rejects that just brought their safe, little family into the most fucked up existence ever. They were going to be forced into questioning for who knows how many hours, while DFS tried to figure out what to do with our lousy asses. Even if we did get to stay with the Cullen's, there was no way we were going to get off scot-free for the shit we just pulled. At the very least, Emmett might have to spend time in Juvenile Detention for holding that server against his will, and I would spend double time with some half-ass shrink to rule out psychosis.

_Damn, this sucks!_

Just then, Esme and Carlisle came out of the bedroom. Esme looked like she was going to be sick. Her face was streaked with dried tears and she was pale as a ghost. Carlisle held her hand and addressed us four kids in the sitting area.

"Okay, let's get this over with. Edward… Alice, you're riding with your mother, and I'm taking Emmett and Isabella. We'll meet up at the station and… well, we'll figure it out there."

This was bad. This was very, very bad. We were going to be reamed all the way to the station and probably never make our way out to see another day.

/~/+/~/

The drive to the station was rather uneventful, despite my constant fear of what Carlisle would say to us, but the only words that left his mouth were, "Let me do all the talking when we get there, all right?"

We both nodded in agreement, but neither Emmett nor I was brave enough to even breathe out of sync while in his presence.

When we arrived at the station, the detective met us in the front entrance with a cheesy smile on his face and an old western mustache that twirled up at the ends. I wanted to rip that fucking thing off his face.

"You must be the Cullen's," he said as we walked through the door, clasping his hands in front of himself. "So glad you made it in one piece."

_Interesting choice of words given our chainsaw experience… Dipshit._

"I'm Detective Aro and this is my partner, Marcus." He pointed behind him to a man leaning against the wall looking rather bored with the world. Marcus nodded slightly at our group and turned around to retreat down the hallway before shutting himself in an office.

"Yes, Detective Aro. My name is Carlisle and this is my family. We understand that you need to speak with us regarding the events of the evening." Carlisle paused, turned to Esme and gripped her hand as a whimper escaped her. "We will be happy to answer any of your questions, but I need to ensure a few things before we proceed."

"Of course, Mr. Cullen," beamed Aro. "What is it that has you worried?"

"I want to ensure that my family leaves intact. What I mean is… _everyone_, including Isabella and Emmett comes home with us, and no charges are to be pressed against anyone."

Carlisle seemed fierce. His eyes were glowing with fury and I felt myself relax slightly because I knew he still wanted us.

"Well, we will have to see what we can do about that, my dear friend." Aro's face morphed between emotions so quickly I couldn't register his expression before it fell on gracious and inviting.

Something wasn't right about Detective Aro, but I couldn't place it. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but he was kind of starting to creep me out a little. I felt Emmett pull my arm so I was standing closer to him as Aro made a step in my direction. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as Aro stared at me.

"Ah, Isabella and Emmett," Aro started. "Would you please accompany me into my office? I have some things to… explain."

I looked pleadingly up at Carlisle and he gently smiled before he approached Aro.

"Detective Aro, I think it would be best if the entire family was questioned at once. Isn't there a larger area where we could convene as a whole? I believe anything that needs to be discussed can be heard by all."

Aro briefly glared at Carlisle before smirking as he said, "Of course. We can convene in the conference room. Follow me please."

Aro turned down the hall and we all followed him to the last door on the right. The room was small and had no windows with dingy, white walls and an uncovered light hanging from the ceiling. The only furniture was a phone sitting on an old, wooden, rectangular table with scratches and carvings all over its surface, and eight chairs positioned haphazardly around it. Aro took his place at one end while Carlisle chose the other. _The two positions of power._ Alice and Esme chose two chairs and pulled them closer to Carlisle's right. Edward pulled two chairs over to Carlisle's left and offered one to me. Emmett moved his chair so I was pretty much sandwiched between him and Edward.

Any bystander would definitely know where our allegiance stood. The idea of a table was actually quite comical because of how we were all squished to one side, but I didn't care. I much preferred being surrounded by friendly faces than having to sit closer to Aro.

I peeked over at Edward and noticed he was staring at Aro with a menacing glare, and when I looked at Aro, he was wickedly grinning at Edward. They seemed to be sharing a quiet conversation, until Carlisle cleared his throat.

"What are the issues that need discussing, Aro?" Carlisle questioned.

Aro refocused on Carlisle and began, "Firstly, the server that the children mistook for this… James fellow was very grateful for Isabella's quick call to the station claiming his innocence. He does not want to press any charges. However, he would like you to pay for his time he missed from work and any medical bills he may have from being held against his will and having his face rubbed into the carpet."

Aro sneered at Emmett, but Emmett wasn't fazed. He leered right back and balled his hands into fists in his lap, his knuckles turning white.

"I would be happy to examine the server myself if he wouldn't object," Carlisle offered. "I'm an emergency room physician and could treat any wounds and make the necessary referrals if need be. And of course, we will pay for any and all of his lost wages."

Aro pondered the offer for a second and agreed, picking up the phone receiver and informing an officer to retain the server for a while longer until he could be seen by Carlisle.

Aro hung up the phone and interlaced his fingers as he rested his hands on the table. "Secondly, I will need to question the children concerning the events of the evening. Isabella and Emmett, please follow me."

Aro made a move to get up from his seat, but Carlisle stopped him.

"Forgive me, Detective Aro," Carlisle said forcefully. "But like I mentioned before, any questioning that needs to be done can be completed within everyone's presence since they all witnessed the events."

Aro glared at Carlisle but sat back down with a slight nod. "I'm truly sorry, Mr. Cullen," sneered Aro. "But it is policy to question everyone involved individually. The DFS case worker will be present with the attorney while Isabella and Emmett are interrogated, and Esme or you may sit in while the other children are questioned."

"I suppose that will be all right, as long as the children are not alone," returned Carlisle, skeptically. "However, may I be present in some way while Isabella and Emmett are questioned? Maybe behind a two-way mirror or watching on a TV screen?"

Aro nodded and stood. "I believe that can be arranged. Isabella, Emmett, and Mr. Cullen, please come with me."

We followed Detective Aro to another room and met up with our DFS case worker and the attorney. After exchanging not so pleasant pleasantries, Carlisle was taken to the next room and placed behind a two-way mirror. It was slightly comforting to know he would be close in case we needed an intervention. Emmett was questioned first while I waited in the hall with and oversized, pot-bellied officer. Emmett was only in the room for about fifteen minutes, which seemed promising, and he came out of the room with a smirk on his face.

"Your turn, Bells," Emmett said as he walked out of the room. "The DFS case worker and attorney won't let them ask very much, so it shouldn't take you too long either. Just remember, Carlisle is behind the mirror."

He winked at me as I made my way through the door and into the small room. Emmett was right for the most part. Detective Aro didn't get to ask too many questions, and he finally got so fed up with the attorney that he left the room and made the officer from the hall finish my interrogation. I was basically asked to describe the evening's events, starting with me opening the hotel room door, and then why I fainted, and what made the server look like James.

My questioning took about the same amount of time as Emmett's, and we met up with Carlisle in the hall, waiting to return to the other room. Detective Aro informed Carlisle that he would now be able to observe Edward's, Alice's, and Esme's questioning in the same manner.

Emmett and I waited in the hall with the DFS case worker and the attorney. We didn't really talk to them, but they were sure having a good old time talking under their breath about us. Every once in a while we would get sideways glances and eye-rolls, but we couldn't make out any words.

After thirty minutes, Emmett and I, along with the case worker and the attorney, rejoined the rest of the family in the first room and Detective Aro came back into the room, slamming the door behind him.

He proceeded to ask Emmett and me questions regarding the "attack" as he was calling it.

"I would not call it an attack, sir," explained Emmett. "We merely detained the server until the authorities took over. If anything, he hurt himself more by wiggling and trying to escape."

"Is that how you saw it? Even when you were rubbing his face on the floor? I think you were out for revenge, young man." Aro fumed at Emmett.

"What the hell did you expect me to do?" Emmett yelled. "My sister was unconscious on the couch after passing out at the sight of the guy, who looks incredibly similar to our parents' killer and you expect me to sit back and let him get away. That's fucked up!"

Emmett grew pink at the drop of the "F" bomb in Esme's presence, but she didn't seem fazed. I decided it was my turn to intervene before Emmett hauled off and pummeled Aro.

"He was only trying to protect us, sir," I said quietly. "I panicked when I opened the door and my body reacted. My mind didn't process fast enough that too many things didn't match up, and when Emmett saw me pass out, he went into survival mode. I know we both regret overreacting, but nothing can be done about it now except for us to say we're sorry."

I stopped and looked down at my hands and started playing with the hem of my shirt. "We've experienced more pain than you ever will in an entire lifetime," I cried, "so don't tell us when and where we can or can't overreact. I think we earned that right when we watched our parents get hacked to pieces by that psycho."

I could feel Edward's eyes on me, but I didn't look over. Instead, I kept playing with my shirt because I didn't want to see the pity in his eyes. I could hear Esme shuffling in her chair and sniffing as Carlisle smacked his palm on the table.

"Detective Aro," Carlisle cut in, "I think you have enough answers. The children have suffered enough tonight. I think we need to move on. What other issues did you need to discuss with us?"

"Yes, of course." Aro narrowed his eyes and stared at me from across the table. "Lastly," he continued, "there have been some murders in the Seattle area recently and we have been working closely with the FBI in regards to tracking down the killer."

"What does this have to do us?" Carlisle leaned forward, mimicking Aro's position and urging him to move on.

"Well, you see, we believe we have a serial killer on our hands. He is very methodical and seems to exhibit similar behaviors with each murder. And these traits are always traced back to two murders that occurred a little over five years ago."

I stiffened. Emmett reached over and grabbed my hand. He was shaking. We both knew who was causing the murders and Aro didn't even have to describe them. I felt all the color drain from my face and I thought I might faint again, so I dropped my head down between my knees to prevent any loss of consciousness.

Edward placed a hand on my back and leaned down to whisper, "Breathe, Bella. I'm right here. Nothing will happen. I promise."

His words were so simple, yet so comforting. After a few seconds, I began to feel slightly better and less woozy, so I slowly lifted my head and rested it on Edward's shoulder. Carlisle and Aro both gave us confused looks, but we shook them off as Aro resumed.

"The two murders that we believe started this mess were, of course, Emmett's and Isabella's parents."

Esme gasped and placed her hand over her mouth, Alice straightened in her chair, Carlisle shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck, and Edward scooted his chair closer to mine while he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. Emmett closed his eyes and dropped his head into his hands, and I reached over to pat his back.

_No amount of snarkiness could save my sanity now._

Aro looked over at Emmett and me as he explained, "Your parents' murders seem to have started a dangerous chain of events across the U.S., and the FBI became involved about three years after the initial killings. In total, there have been twelve murders… the first two being your parents in Pennsylvania, two more in Florida, two in Illinois, two in Minnesota, two in Colorado, and two here in the Seattle area.

"The patterns the murders follow are: the killer always chooses a secluded cabin in the dense forest, it always happens at night, ripcord restraints are commonly used, the weapon of choice is a chainsaw, and the victims all seem to be around the same age, except for your parents."

"And what are the ages?" Carlisle interrupted.

"This is where we think we see another pattern," Aro persisted. "The first murders happened around two and half years after the initial killings, and the victims were fourteen years old. The next four victims were fifteen, the two in Colorado were sixteen, and the two here in Seattle just turned seventeen. Also, the victims are always siblings and always have a striking resemblance to you two."

Aro paused and stared straight at Emmett and me. The patterns he described were extremely disturbing. The ages of the victims were the exact ages we were at the time, the states where the murders occurred were the exact states we were placed at the time, and we were abruptly moved to new houses during each of those stays without any explanation. I felt a terrible sense of guilt wash over me as I realized all those innocent kids died in our places. James was coming back and he was showing us he wouldn't stop until we were dead.

This was it. We were going to be shipped off. It was always the same story. The police would contact our foster parents, they'd hang up the phone with this fearful look on their face, and we'd be gone to a new family the next day. I knew the next words that came out of Carlisle's mouth would be "when can they leave our family?"

Or so I thought.

"What needs to be done in order to protect Isabella and Emmett?" Carlisle asked, resting a hand on Esme's shoulder. "I want them to be as safe as possible with the murderer so close."

A shocked look flashed across Aro's face. He wasn't expecting that response either and I lifted my head to stare at Carlisle and offer my silent thanks with a gentle smile and nod. He nodded in response, but continued staring at Aro, waiting for his reply.

"In the past, FBI has insisted the children be removed from the immediate area and placed with a new foster family. DFS has been compliant with this request and they have already made arrangements for Isabella and Emmett to be sent to Texas tomorrow."

"I won't let that happen," Carlisle interjected. "We signed up to keep Isabella and Emmett for at least a year so they could finish their senior year of high school in one place. We are not going to allow DFS to take them away from us after a few days."

Esme wiped a tear as it fell down her cheek. She looked between Emmett and me and smiled as she said, "We will not send them to another family. I already care for them like they are my own children and I couldn't bear to see them leave."

Aro was more confused than I'd ever seen anyone in my life. I don't think he was prepared for the commitment of Carlisle and Esme to keep two children safe from a danger that threatened to destroy their entire family. Carlisle was determined to keep us with them, and I gripped Emmett's hand in an effort to convey my hope that everything would be okay. He quickly squeezed my hand in return and I felt him relax slightly after registering Carlisle and Esme's kind words.

"I'm not sure that will be possible," Aro contemplated the possibility, but seemed reluctant to give us any straight answers. "If the children continue to stay at your residence, certain safety measures will have to be put in place to ensure they are not harmed while in your care, and I'm not sure you know what kind of hardships you will be placing on your family for this to occur."

"We will do whatever is necessary to keep Isabella and Emmett safe. No. Matter. What."

Carlisle punctuated every word with a punch to the table, and all I wanted to do was give him the biggest hug I could manage.

"I will have to make some phone calls," Aro said as his face fell into what could only be explained as disappointment. "Please excuse me while I make arrangements for the children."

"Of course. Take as long as you need." Carlisle turned toward Emmett and me and for the first time in the evening he smiled.

Aro walked from the room, closing the door behind him. A collective sigh of relief swept through everyone as we started to feel like we were "out of the woods"… at least for the moment.

Edward gave my shoulders one last squeeze before getting out of his chair to stretch his back. Alice quickly took his place and pulled me into a huge, rib-crushing hug.

"Oh, Bella. I was so scared you would have to leave," she cried into my shoulder. "That would have been terrible! I can't imagine not having you around."

"Alice," I snickered as I hugged her, "I've not even been here a week. How can you be so attached to someone who is threatening your family's safety, nonetheless?"

"Bella, I'm not letting you get away from here. Do you know how long I waited for a sister? I asked for one every Christmas since I was four, and I finally got you. There's no way I'm letting you go anywhere."

Everyone chuckled at her admission and Esme nodded her head, confirming it.

"Well, thanks for everything… really," Emmett said. "We don't deserve a great family like you, but we appreciate everything you've done for us and everything you're willing to do."

Esme started crying again and Carlisle wrapped his arm around her waist. He looked over at Emmett and spoke.

"Emmett, you do deserve a good family. Never say you don't deserve that. We chose you to stay with us so we could show you what a family is supposed to be, not so you would feel unworthy.

"A family takes care of each of its members when they are in need, and right now, you and Isabella need somewhere safe to call home. I wasn't lying when I said we will do whatever it takes to keep you away from harm, and we will treat you like our own children every second you are with us. And… that includes making you get jobs to pay for that server's lost wages."

Carlisle raised one eyebrow and chuckled. Emmett gave me an "oh shit" look, but smiled in response. If getting a job was the worst punishment Carlisle could think up, we were all for it. It was way better than getting the shit beat out of us for the next month and a half, so I was ready to sign on the dotted line and flip burgers until my arms fell off to forego that torment.

After a few more minutes, Detective Aro returned and we all resumed our original positions sitting around the table. He looked furious, like someone just told him "no" on his birthday and blew out all his candles. I sank down into my chair and instinctively leaned closer to Edward for protection. He rested his hand on mine and gave it a little pat. I could see a small smirk on his face before he glared straight at Aro.

"What arrangements were you able to make, Aro?" Carlisle spoke authoritatively.

"FBI officials stated the children are in no immediate danger at your residence since the murders took place near Seattle and you live outside of Forks." Aro scowled at Carlisle then continued. "However, they have one condition you must adhere to in order for the children to stay with you."

"Whatever it is, we are more than willing to comply," Carlisle replied.

"The children will be placed under protective custody of the FBI and DFS will relinquish their… control of the children to WITSEC." Then, Aro looked down at the table and mumbled under his breath, but I distinctly caught the words "which they are happy to do."

"They will be required to have a protective detail, or bodyguard, when they are anywhere other than inside your home," Aro said, annoyed. "This includes school, work, shopping, or parties. This is very restrictive to the children, but the guard that will be assigned to them will be young enough that he will pose as a student and friend, so he will blend in. It will be your responsibility as the parent to make sure they obey the rules placed on them by the FBI and enforce them to their fullest extent.

"This also severs all ties the Seattle PD has to this case. The FBI will take over the case of the Swan children hence forth, and any concerns will need to be directed to them."

Aro seemed irritated that a portion of his case was being handed over to a higher branch of law enforcement as he huffed, took a deep breath, then said, "If this still seems like a venture you are willing to take, then I have paperwork that needs to be filled out."

I tensed at the realization that Carlisle and Esme may not want some random dude hanging out at their house and following their children around twenty-four, seven. I worried they would back out and off to Texas we would go. But Carlisle had other plans.

"We are more than willing to accept the terms of this agreement. I will just need to make one phone call to my lawyer to make sure this is adequate safety for the children regarding the recent events."

Aro ground his teeth together before he spoke. "Of course. Right this way, please."

He fumed as he walked out of the door with Carlisle right on his heels. Esme smiled gently over at Emmett and me and we relaxed, knowing we would be going home with a family that truly loved and cared for us.

/~/+/~/

After Carlisle signed all the necessary paperwork and talked with the FBI bodyguard who would be assigned to our case, we were on our way back to the hotel to finish packing and check out. The sun started rising while we drove to the hotel, and I was finally relaxed enough that I could feel myself drifting in and out of sleep.

"The bodyguard will meet us at the house around two this afternoon to make preliminary assessments and get acquainted with the premises," Carlisle informed us as we walked back to the rooms. "So we need to get going and make sure we have adequate accommodations for him to stay with us until he can secure a more permanent residence. He thinks he'll only need to stay with us for a couple of days since he has family that live nearby and will be able to stay with them.

"He's the youngest agent they have, but they assured me he is one of the most qualified agents to take the case. He will brief us on more specifics of the protective detail when he meets with us."

Edward seemed rather upset with all the new information, like he really didn't want someone new in his house. Every time Carlisle brought up the bodyguard, Edward scowled and busied himself with anything he could find, including offering to pack for Emmett. He was actually kind of getting on my nerves with his cranky attitude.

Everything was packed and we were ready to go in about an hour. Carlisle drove back on his own because he had to stop by the hospital and check on some things before heading home. He left in such a rush last night that he had lose ends that needed tending to.

Esme drove the rest of us straight home with the only stop being for breakfast at IHOP. After we finished eating, we lazily piled back in the car, and it was about five miles down the road before I realized Edward was sitting next to me and not Alice. It was a pleasant surprise, especially when he looked over at me and gave me his best crooked smile as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I smiled back and nestled into his side. He rested his head on mine and last thing I remembered was Edward humming the most beautiful song before I quickly fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

**A/N: So, no cliffie this time! Did you like Aro's stache? Will Edward and Bella ever get together? (YES! They will, but give it some time ::wink::) Who is the bodyguard? Ideas? Love it, hate it, don't care? Let me know with a review!**

**Rec time: I can't remember if I rec'd this already, but if I did, it's worth repeating. Awesomesauce76, the author of _Blood and Lust_ (also a must read) is writing a new story, _Last Tango in Forks_. It's HOT! Super sexy times and the writing is amazing. Must read!**


	10. Agent J

**A/N: First, I have to say how lucky I was to have Jen's WordSong as my beta for so long. Unfortunately, RL's a bitch and she had to step down. I love you girlie and I hope everything settles down for you soon.**

**Second, every dark cloud has a silver lining and I'm proud to announce that Dandiegoose has graciously decided to fill my beta void and whip my comma loving ass into shape. You are fabulous, babes!**

**And, thank you as always to my other betas, twifan82 and eviekinz for being the bread to my butter. I couldn't do it without you two!  
**

**So, I know everyone is dying to know who our mystery FBI agent/bodyguard is. You all had some very interesting guesses, but the two most common were Jasper or Jacob. Let's see who it is, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I get to make Edward jealous of a bodyguard ::wink:: © 2010 twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

When I woke up, Esme was turning onto their winding driveway. I couldn't even see the house through the trees. It was nice to know that we would be well hidden from the predator that was after our blood.

But I didn't want to focus on that right now. I was nuzzled under Edward's arm, with his head still resting on mine and he was drawing small circles on my upper arm with his long, soft fingers. He felt me take a deep breath and looked down at my face with a breathtaking smile and a wink.

_How can one look make me melt so completely?_

"Edward, you make me…" I whispered, more to myself than anyone else, but it was too late to stop my word vomit. I knew he heard me by the way his fingers quit moving and his back stiffened.

"What was that, Bella?" Edward quietly questioned.

I shivered as his breath swept past my face and his lips brushed my cheek. He was so intoxicating. He had to know his effect on people, especially girls.

"Oh, uh… nothing. I was just… oh, never mind," I sighed and sat up, effectively separating myself from Edward's safe, warm embrace.

His brow furrowed and he lowered his arm from around my shoulders and dropped it to his side. He looked hurt that I didn't tell him what I was thinking. I wanted to tell him. Really I did… but in the car where others could hear was not a good setting for opening up and sharing my feelings.

We unloaded our luggage from the car then hid in our rooms unpacking until Carlisle came home. Everyone agreed that Alice and I would share her room while the bodyguard stayed at the house. I was surprisingly excited about spending more time with my new little friend. I had a lot I needed to talk to her about and I couldn't wait to learn more about her.

After rearranging a few pieces of furniture and bringing some clothes into Alice's room, the family met in the kitchen for lunch. Esme made sandwiches and Edward grabbed a bag of chips to set on the table for everyone to share.

"The bodyguard should be here in about an hour," started Carlisle. "I think we should allow Isabella and Emmett to meet him last. Does that sound all right with you two?"

I looked over at Emmett and he shrugged and nodded. I turned back to Carlisle and said, "That's fine, but why?"

"Well, I don't want to overwhelm you with too much today. You both have been through a lot of stress lately with your nightmares worsening, Isabella… and Emmett trying to help you with those adds to his stress… and now with the scare at the hotel. It's a lot for a body to cope with, and I'm beginning to think yours won't be able to take much more strain without completely shutting down."

He stared at me and I felt like he just read my mind. All Carlisle had to do was give me one look and it was like he knew my inner workings. I didn't even know what to say about his revelations. To be honest, I was feeling overwhelmed, but it was due to my new family's kindness, not the stress of my other… situation. James was a constant threat in my life and I learned to live with that stress every day, but to have my new family at risk, too, was worrisome.

"Um, thank you for that, Carlisle," I responded. "I think that will be fine. I appreciate your concern, but I'm not really overwhelmed with stress. I'm more worried about living up to your expectations. I mean we've never had such a wonderful family and I don't want to let you down."

Edward and Carlisle both had confused looks on their faces, like they weren't expecting that response. I stared down at my sandwich and chips and poked them around the plate. I knew I shouldn't have said anything. I felt completely embarrassed, unable to look either of them in the eye.

Esme reached her hand over and rubbed my arm. "Oh, sweetheart. You have already proven you will exceed any expectations we may have had. You and Emmett are both so polite, and Alice and Edward have both told us that they are really glad you're with us." She smiled at me before continuing, "And that's saying something because they've never agreed on anything their entire lives."

Carlisle and Esme laughed, Alice smiled at me, and Edward shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. I think I even noticed a slight pink rise in his cheeks as he glanced over at me and stuffed a chip in his mouth.

I was beginning to feel like Emmett and I had finally found a home, an actual _family_; a place where we were accepted with all our flaws and craziness. It was beginning to feel like they would love us no matter what. Well, at least for now, anyway. I was still dreading what would happen when they finally heard our entire story. They would definitely think we were damaged goods. Maybe that's why I never really shared my story… I never wanted anyone to reject me because I would never be good enough. I buried all my memories to shield myself from losing those around me. Even the families I hated I didn't want to lose at the time. They were all I had and one little slip would have them sending me away and forgetting me forever.

This thought froze me in my seat. Edward sensed my mood change and he looked at me pleadingly. He wanted to know what I was thinking, but I had to get out of the room before I freaked everyone out. Excusing myself from the table, I put my plate in the kitchen, and silently vowed I would keep my nightmares, stories, and memories to myself. I wouldn't lose this family because of my past. I couldn't let that happen.

/~/+/~/

As I sat alone in my room, the last time before the bodyguard took it over, I thought of everything the Cullen's were giving up for us. They welcomed us into their home. They fed us, clothed us, paid for our schooling, and now they were giving up some of their freedom, all in order to keep Emmett and me safe. I didn't want them to have to do that, but Carlisle and Esme seemed insistent on giving us a life we only dreamed of. Even Alice and Edward were okay with the prospect of being followed around by some random FBI official until James was caught or dead.

After what seemed like an eternity wallowing alone in my room, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," I said as I rolled over on the bed, sitting up with my back against the headboard, stretching out my legs and crossing them at the ankles.

"Hey, Bella. Do you want to talk?" Alice whispered as she walked through the door, shutting it behind her.

"No, Alice. I'm all right… or at least I'll be okay in awhile," I sighed. "These past couple of days have just been exhausting, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess. I'm really sorry you're having such a difficult time." She walked over and sat on the end of my bed, bringing her legs up off the floor and crossing them under her tiny frame. "I wanted to make sure you weren't crying up here. You left lunch pretty quickly and you'd hardly touched any of your food. I thought maybe…"

"No," I interrupted. "I mean… sorry. I can't right now. But maybe another time, okay? I really appreciate it, though. It means a lot that you care enough to make sure I'm adjusting well."

"All right." Alice took a deep breath and looked down at her hands in her lap. Her bottom lip pouted out slightly and she started playing with a wayward thread on my comforter.

I immediately felt defeated. She looked like I just told her I ran over her kitten, and I wanted to instantly take back every word I'd said.

"Oh, Alice. Please don't be upset with me." I moved closer to her near the foot of the bed so I could get a better read on her facial expression. "I really do want to tell you what's goin' on inside my screwed up head, but I'm worried that if I do… that if I bring you into my world, that you'll never want to talk to me again and I can't lose you."

I felt tears well up in my eyes as she looked up at me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her, and now I'd gone and turned her away because I was feeling insecure.

"Bella, please don't cry." Alice grabbed me for a hug as I sobbed. "I knew it was a long shot that you would want to talk so soon, but I had to try. I know you'll open up to me in time. I just got my hopes up that you might want to get some things off your chest before the bodyguard gets here. We can talk about anything, really. It doesn't all have to be about you, Bella."

I could hear the smile in her voice and I grinned in response as I lifted my head from her shoulder and laughed. She knew exactly what to say to make me feel better. That trait seemed to run in the family.

"Thanks, Alice," I said as I wiped tears from my cheeks. "I've been on an emotional roller coaster the last few days and I think I'll feel better when things settle down a little."

"I know. And I'll be ready whenever you want to talk. You know where to find me!" She gave me one last squeeze, then bounced off the bed and pulled me with her. "Come on, Bella. We need to get ready to introduce you to that bodyguard. I hope you get along with whoever it is, because he'll be around for awhile."

_Craptastic! I can't wait._

*~*EPOV*~*

After Bella left the table, I felt all the air leave my body. I couldn't understand why she didn't want to talk to me. I was getting really frustrated and I just wanted to run after her, grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she realized how foolish she was being. She didn't have to be afraid of her past. It was exactly that… a past and nothing she could have told me would have made me like her any less.

I decided I couldn't stomach anymore food at the moment, so I excused myself and asked Emmett if he wanted to go down into the game room and play the _Wii_ on the big screen. He got an evil glint in his eyes and devoured the rest of his third sandwich.

"Dude," hollered Emmett as we walked down to the game room, "you have a _Wii_, too? That's the shit! What games do you have?"

"You can go look over there," I said as I pointed next to the TV. "I was thinking maybe something brainless right now, like _MLB 2010_. Is that all right?"

"Sure, man. But we're gonna have to play these other games sometime, too."

He handed me the game disc and I popped it into the console. We each grabbed a seat in the recliners and I passed him a controller. We played three full innings before either one of us said anything. I couldn't take the cold shoulder from both Bella and Emmett, so I broke the silence.

"Can I ask you a question, Emmett?" I sighed, setting my controller on my lap and leaning back in the chair.

"Yeah. What's up?" he said and turned to face me, looking confused.

"Well… the server… he looked like that James guy, right? And, I know I don't understand half of what happened to you and Bella, but I'm sure James did some super fucked up stuff. So, why didn't you rip into the server when you first saw him? I mean… I think I would have torn his face off if I were in your shoes."

Emmett huffed and brought his legs up onto the chair, crossing them underneath his body. He bent forward and rubbed his face with his hands before resting his arms on his lap and looking at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Edward… that guy ruined our lives. We didn't have it perfect. No big screen TVs, no fancy gaming systems, but we had a happy, loving family where everyone looked out for one another. When… James," he paused and swallowed thickly, "when _he_ came into our lives, he screwed up any inkling of happiness we ever had. He was one crazy, sadistic fucker that wasn't going to let my dad ruin his sad little existence and he was out for revenge.

"He scarred mine and Bella's lives and we will never be the same people… _ever_. We both saw what he was capable of that night, and when Bella passed out at the hotel, and I caught a glimpse of that server's face, I immediately reverted back to that scared little twelve year old who was fighting to stay alive.

"James is one crafty motherfucker and I knew if I attacked him outright, I would've been dead before you yelled 'stop.' So, I decided to weigh my choices and assessed the situation before jumping the gun. That's when I sort of realized the server didn't really look too similar to James, but who was I to let him get out of my grasp? I want revenge for the hell he's put Bella and I through, and I would give anything to see him suffer the way my parents did."

As he finished and looked away, a single tear escaped and fell down his cheek. He didn't even wipe it away. I felt a chill creep over my body and my adrenaline started pumping through my system. I wanted to kill James, too. I wanted to help Emmett and make sure that sick fuck never hurt anyone, especially Emmett and Bella, ever again.

I sat there stunned, fuming and silent. Emmett turned back to face me and stared blankly at his lap. He was waiting for my response, but I had no idea what to say to someone who just admitted to being scared shitless and wanting to beat the ever living shit out of a person who's been evading the authorities for years; someone who has been murdering kids around your same age just to show he's still out there; someone who wants you dead.

Words failed me, so I reached across the armrest and patted his shoulder. He looked up and I saw fear and hatred mixing together in his eyes. I gave him my best "I'm there for you if you need me look" and he nodded, signaling he understood.

"Thanks for telling me that, man," I whispered.

"Um… yeah. Thanks for listening," he replied. "That's the most I've ever told anybody besides Bella… so now I'll have to kill you."

Emmet looked straight into my eyes and smiled wickedly. I actually kind of thought I might piss myself because he looked serious.

Then he started roaring with laughter.

"Jeez, Edward," he chuckled. "You need to relax, man. I'm joking."

He put his arms up in mock surrender and I punched his shoulder for retaliation. We both laughed it off and I turned off the _Wii_ so we could go upstairs.

As we made it up to the living room, Alice and Bella started walking down the steps from their rooms just as Dad called us all into the kitchen. We gathered around the island counter and he briefed us on how the bodyguard would be accepted into the house and the order in which we would all be introduced.

After fifteen minutes of discussion, Bella and Emmett took their places in the living room and Alice and I followed. Alice and Bella sat on the couch with Emmett and I decided to set up camp on the floor in front of them. We quietly listened as the sound of a very loud engine came barreling up the driveway. The sound stopped abruptly, followed by the crash of a vehicle door slamming. Three lumbering steps up to the house, and two hard knocks on the front door let us know the bodyguard was here.

I could see Bella shaking and Emmett was holding her hand. As I looked at her, she mouthed the words, "I'm sorry" before turning her gaze to her lap and bringing her legs up underneath her. That was the most confusing statement she'd made since I'd known her, and I knew I would definitely be talking to her later.

"Hello, sir," Dad said as he opened the door. "I'm Carlisle and this is my wife, Esme. Welcome to our home. I trust you found it easily."

"Oh yeah," returned the bodyguard dropping something on the floor with a thud. "You gave great directions on the phone. And you weren't joking about the long driveway. I almost turned around."

He chuckled loudly and followed Dad and Mom into the dining room to talk with them before they introduced the rest of us. The more I listened to him I realized he was really young. The way he spoke, the terms he used, just didn't make him seem old enough to be in this position as a FBI agent. I immediately started questioning his adequacy and worried that he wouldn't be good enough to protect my Bella.

_Whoa. My Bella. Where did that come from?_

I heard Dad call for Alice and me to meet him in the dining room, but before I left the living room I went over to Bella and pulled her chin up so she would look me in the eye. I gave her the best "it will all be okay" smile and rubbed my thumb against her cheek. She smiled back as she blushed and I felt her relax under my touch. Alice rolled her eyes and pulled me away before I had a chance to do or say anything else.

When I walked into the dining room, the first thing I noticed about the guy was his size. He was standing hunched over with his hands gripping the back of a chair, but when he saw Alice and I walk in, he stood up to his full height. This guy seriously had to be six and half feet tall and he looked like he could bench press Emmett without breaking a sweat. The next thing that caught my attention was his face. Not only did his voice seem juvenile, but his facial features made him look like he was about our age. Exactly what the FBI was looking for… someone who could fit in with the rest of us and go virtually unnoticed. But I wasn't expecting some overgrown body builder.

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end when he reached out his hand to introduce himself. Not that I expected to be best friends with the guy, but I at least thought I would be somewhat comfortable around him. Something was wrong, and I couldn't quite place it. Maybe it had something to do with the way he was sizing me up from the second I turned the corner into the dining room.

_Damn ogre._

"Hi, I'm Jacob," said the gigantic meathead standing in front of me.

"I'm Edward. Nice to meet you, sir," I replied, trying my best to keep my emotions in check. He almost crushed my hand when he shook it.

"Okay, you've all gotta stop with the 'sir' crap," Jacob laughed. "I'm really not used to it. Just call me Jacob or Jake, whatever, and we'll all get along great."

We all politely smiled and wrapped up our conversation before calling in Bella and Emmett. Jacob positioned himself in the corner of the room furthest from the doorway, and he had this cheesy smile plastered on his face like he was expecting the best thing in the world to happen to him in the next thirty seconds.

We all watched anxiously as Emmett then Bella walked through the door. Emmett scowled as he walked over to Jacob and shook his hand while Bella stared at her feet. He introduced both himself and Bella, all without Bella saying a word and cowering behind him. I noticed her trembling again and gripping the back of Emmett's shirt like she was trying to hide. Emmett reached behind his back and pried her hand from his shirt while slowly bringing her around to his side. She continued to stare at the floor while she talked.

"Hello, sir. I'm Bella," she whispered so softly I wasn't even sure she really said anything.

"Hello, Bella. I'm Jacob, but you can call me Jake. Please don't be afraid of me," he pleaded, sniffing around like a dog trying to find a way for her to look at him. "I'm here to protect you and I'm going to need you to trust me for that to work, okay?"

She took a deep breath and held it as she slowly raised her head to finally look the bodyguard in the face. She was playing with a lose string on the hem of her shirt and when she finally looked at Jacob's face, her eyes got wide and she huffed out all the air she was holding in. Her hands stilled and her jaw dropped slightly, but she recovered quickly and she started chewing on her bottom lip while she blushed.

I bristled at her reaction. If my assumptions were correct, I'd just met my greatest competition. Bella seemed way too interested in the agent, and I narrowed my eyes as I stared at Jacob. My breathing picked up slightly before I could reign myself back in and control my emotions. This next year was going to suck some major ass.

_Fucking mutt._

_

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_**A/N: So... surprised? Saw it coming? Not impressed? Let me know with a review!**

**BPOV coming up next chapter so we'll know what she really thinks of her bodyguard.**

**Rec time: I'm sure lots of you have already read _The Weight of Words_, but I have to pimp that out because it's just too awesome not to. Georgeygirl has a beautiful sense of style and she weaves in Shakespeare effortlessly. Enjoy and let her know I sent you!  
**


	11. Triggers

**A/N: Hello all my amazing readers! Thank you all sooooo much for the wonderful reviews! I am super glad to announce that both my FF and Twilighted sites for WP have reached over 100 reviews! WOOHOO! I'm so excited! You've all made me so happy and I'm all exclamations! I feel like I need to shout from my rooftop that I HAVE THE BEST READERS EVER! I never thought I'd get that many for the entire story, so I really appreciate every single one. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ::bows head in gratitude::**

**And also, thank you for the awesomeness that are my betas: eviekinz, dandiegoose, and twifan82. You all kick my ass and I gladly take it any way I can get it.**

**I started a forum for my fic over on Twilighted. Yay! So, fell free to check it out and drop me a line. I'll have teasers and post questions to discuss. I'll also answer any questions/concerns/ideas you might have about the story. And I will have opportunities for readers to make plot decisions. Try it out! It'll be fun!**

http(:/)(/)www(.)twilighted(.)net(/)forum(/)viewtopic(.)php?f=44&t=11252

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own fainting Bella. © twicrack83 2010**

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*~*BPOV*~*

Emmett and I sat huddled together on the couch, listening intently to the conversation taking place between our new family and the bodyguard. I knew this was supposed to be for our safety, but I couldn't help feeling like I was three years old again and needed a babysitter to make sure I didn't burn my fingers on a hot stove. I hated when people gave me too much attention. It made me self conscious and I seemed to fuck up more when someone was constantly looking over my shoulder.

Carlisle called us into the dining room after only a few minutes. Walking close behind Emmett, I held onto his shirt and kept my head down. I heard Emmett introduce us and then he started pulling on my arm to bring me out of hiding. All I wanted was to pull away from his grip and bury my face in my hands, but I didn't want to seem like such a baby. Instead, I opted for talking to my feet while I said hello.

The bodyguard's voice was a little rough, but still kind, so I slowly looked up to his face. I've never been good at hiding my feelings, especially through my facial expressions, and when I felt my eyes bug out of my head and my jaw drop, I knew everyone around me knew what I was thinking.

_Hello biceps!_

Yep, that's right. The bodyguard was ripped! I could see the faintest hint of a six-pack under his tight black shirt and he towered over me a good foot or so. Even though he was easily three times my size, his face was innocent and almost child-like. There was no way this guy was old enough to take care of Emmett and I. The FBI seriously made a mistake.

Jacob smiled down at me and I saw Edward cross his arms with a huff and an eye roll. Emmett tugged on my arm and pulled me over to the table to sit down. Alice grabbed the chair next to mine and Edward leaned forward on the chair opposite me with his hands gripping it so tight his knuckles looked like they would burst. He clenched his jaw, squinting his eyes as he glared at Jacob.

Jacob just smiled like he didn't notice the death stare he was currently getting, and I had several inappropriate ideas cycling through my mind at the thought of _Mr. Angry-pants_ directly across from me. Edward was definitely sexy when got irritated. I made a mental note to save those ideas for a later time.

Carlisle decided it was time to show Jacob to his room and allowed him to secure the premises while Alice and I returned to her room. Emmett gave me a concerned look and followed a pissed off Edward upstairs to their rooms. I just rolled my eyes and shut the door behind me before jumping face down onto Alice's bed.

"You know," Alice began, "You really need to learn to control those facial expressions of yours. I think everyone within a ten mile radius now knows you have the _hots_ for your bodyguard."

She playfully pushed my shoulder and rolled me over to my back, while I sighed and pushed her back.

"I know!" I closed my eyes and rolled onto my side, facing Alice. "I thought Edward was gonna rip Jacob's throat out after I reacted like that. You saw the body on that guy. He could bench press both of us with one arm tied behind his back. Edward looked like he was trying to claim his territory. I was beginning to worry he would hump my leg and piss on my shoe." I brought my arm up and rested it over my eyes while I said, "Oh crap! They're both so hot!"

We joked back and forth for a while and laughed at our new, hot bodyguard that got to spend all the time he could handle with us. Alice mentioned this would be great for all parties involved and that Edward would get over himself eventually. I sure hoped so, because I couldn't stand cranky Edward. It was like male PMS on overdrive.

After about an hour, Esme came to the room and asked if we would help her with dinner. We gladly went downstairs and I started cutting vegetables while Alice set up the table. It was nice to feel comfortable, relaxed, and peaceful in a warm family environment again.

Jacob and Carlisle came in from outside, smiling and laughing, just as Edward and Emmett came down the steps and walked into the kitchen.

Jacob sauntered through the kitchen, winked at me, and walked up the stairs. I wasn't quite sure what to make of that, so I focused on Emmett instead as he walked over to Esme and asked her what was for dinner. Then, Edward moved closer to me at the island counter where I was dicing up a yellow pepper. He was dangerously close, and he swept behind me excruciatingly slowly. His body brushed against my ass as he leaned his face close to my ear and whispered, "I want to talk to you. Meet me in my room after dinner."

I trembled as his breath flowed past my cheek and rustled my hair. Unfortunately, I also lost my grip on the knife I was holding and it clattered to the floor, but not before slicing a gash across my palm.

I screamed and brought my hand protectively to my chest, cradling it with my other. Carlisle quickly ran to my side with a dish towel and assessed the damage. Edward stood close by with a terrified look on his face. He was searching for something to do and kept asking Carlisle if he wanted him to get anything.

"Edward, I need your help. Please grab my bag and bring it up to my office." Carlisle looked at me warily. "But first, help me get Isabella upstairs."

I stared down at my hand and watched the blood trickle from my wound. My knees started to buckle when I smelled the awful iron and rust smell. Immediately, my mind shifted into reverse and I was back at that awful night five years ago. The memory of my father being sliced in two came back in full force, and I felt myself slipping under. The last thing I remembered was Edward's arms cradling me before I had a chance to make out with the floor.

/~/+/~/

I heard two male voices talking quietly near my head, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I was lying down, but I didn't recognize what I was lying on. It felt like the exposed skin on my arms was sticking to the surface… leather. The male voices started getting clearer and I felt my eyelids fluttering as one of the men came closer and knelt down next to me, grabbing my hand.

"Bella, can you hear me?"

The words sounded like they were in the distance, but I knew I must be getting closer to consciousness. The voice became more familiar the more he spoke.

"Bella, you passed out again. Dad stitched up your hand and gave you a local anesthetic, so you shouldn't feel any pain." Ah, Edward. _My hero!_

_Shut it! I'm slightly loopy from passing out and I'm pretty sure Carlisle slipped me some narcotics._

"Bella, please talk to me. Tell me you're not in pain."

Edward sounded panicked now, so before he went all "Debbie Downer" on me, I forced my body to open my eyes and I smiled weakly at him. He visibly relaxed and squeezed my hand. With his other hand, he brushed a strand of hair off my face and stroked my cheek with his thumb. I leaned into his touch, and heard Carlisle walk up and stand next to Edward.

"How does your hand feel, Isabella?" asked Carlisle.

"I guess it feels okay." I tried to flex my fingers, but since I couldn't see my hand, I wasn't sure if they were actually moving. "But I can't really feel anything. Is all the blood gone?"

"Yes," Carlisle confirmed. "I cleaned your wound before I stitched it, and there is a pretty substantial dressing on your hand so you won't be able to see anything."

"Oh, well… thank you, Carlisle," I responded.

I lifted my bandaged hand slowly and assessed the damage. The only parts of my hand that were visible were my fingers. The rest of it was wrapped tightly in white gauze with a strip of tape to hold it in place. The gauze was wrapped around my palm and stopped at my wrist still giving me full range of motion. And I really couldn't feel anything. It was fantastic!

Until I tried to sit up.

"Whoa… head rush," I said and quickly lay back down.

"I think you need to stay lying down for a bit, Isabella. You seem to have a thing for fainting," Carlisle chuckled at his joke, but I only felt embarrassed and blushed. He noticed my discomfort and tried to reassure me.

"You know, Isabella, there is nothing to be ashamed of. When I first started medical school, I had the worst time with blood. The other students called me 'Queasy Cullen' my entire residency. It took years of practice to get over the nauseous feeling at the sight of blood. So don't feel bad for passing out."

"Thank you, but it's not just the sight that makes me sick… it's the smell, too," I admitted, being careful not to share too much information about my past.

"Interesting," mused Carlisle. "Most people can't smell blood, but it is a very recognizable scent and can help in diagnostics where the blood isn't visible."

Carlisle smiled down at me and I tested myself at sitting up again. Edward cradled my back and helped me swing my legs off what I now recognized was a couch. I steadied myself and looked around the room as Edward sat down next to me. There was a large mahogany desk with an executive computer chair directly across from me. It had several picture frames and books haphazardly strewn across its top with a single desk lamp, dimly illuminating the room. The three walls that weren't occupied with the couch I was currently resting on had floor to ceiling bookshelves packed to the rims. I was in awe and I think Carlisle sensed my amazement.

"This is my office, Isabella," spoke Carlisle. "You are welcome to borrow books from my library whenever you need them, you only have to ask."

I felt my eyes light up at his offer. I couldn't wait to get back in here and rummage through his massive collection.

Edward leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs and smiled over at me. "Do you feel like eating something?" he asked. "I think mom has dinner ready if you want it."

"Um, yeah. I think food would be good." I smiled in return and he helped me stand up. We all walked back down into the dining room, and Edward kept a hand on my back the entire time to keep me steady.

No one brought up my fainting episodes at dinner, which I was more than grateful for. Instead, Jacob talked about his training and reassured us that even though he was only twenty-one years old, he was more than capable of protecting us if the need arose. He was really charming, in a big brother sort of way. Yeah, he was hot, but he didn't make me tingly all over like Edward.

I blushed as the thought made me fidget in my seat and I smiled over at Edward across the table. He looked slightly confused at first, but then gave me a great crooked smile in return which only confirmed my theory and made me fidget even more in my chair from the added… sensation.

When Jacob finished telling us all about his experiences as "the top dog" at the academy, Carlisle decided he would lighten the mood with a hospital story. Before he started, Alice and Edward both cringed and covered their ears in mock horror and Esme rolled her eyes and shook her head while smiling.

"Oh, come on," laughed Carlisle. "The stories are never that bad you guys and they always have great life lessons."

Alice and Edward both snickered and suddenly became thoroughly focused on their plates.

"Okay, if you're all done berating me for my wonderful way of teaching morality, then I will continue." Carlisle paused, smiled, and chuckled to himself before beginning.

"So about a week ago, we had a young man around college age come in to the emergency department with complaints of chest pain and dizziness. His girlfriend drove him to the hospital and he requested that she come back to the exam room with him. Of course, we allowed that because we believe in family-centered care and having a familiar presence helps in the healing process.

"Anyway, we hooked him up to a heart monitor and ran the necessary lab work and found out he had atrial fibrillation. Basically, the upper two sections of his heart would beat out of control, causing him chest pain and making him dizzy because of the inadequate blood flow.

"Since I was in charge of his care, I told him we would monitor his heart for a few more hours in the ER before I sent him upstairs to a room for the night. He seemed agitated and reluctant to listen to my advice for observation over night, so I told him that we would allow him some privacy to think over his decision before allowing him to sign out against medical advice.

"I informed the nurses of my decision to let him think things over and told them not to bother the patient until he used the call light or if something happened on his heart monitor. I started making arrangements to secure a bed for him upstairs.

"The door to his room was shut for about an hour before his heart rate started racing in the 140's. I was the only one at the desk, so I quickly made my way into his room. I didn't even think to knock, but when I opened the door, I'd wished I had.

"The patient was sitting on the stretcher with his legs hanging over the side and his pants around his ankles. Kneeling on the floor between his legs with her head bobbing up and down, underneath his hospital gown, was his girlfriend. Neither one of them realized I was standing in the room until I cleared my throat and caused the young man to promptly fall off the stretcher on his ass, effectively knocking his girlfriend backwards and breaking her ankle when he landed on it. Needless to say, they both wound up spending the night in the hospital for that little stunt."

By now, Jacob, Emmett and I were laughing hysterically, gripping our stomachs and rocking from amusement. Alice and Edward had buried their faces in their hands and were shaking their heads in embarrassment and Esme was sitting quietly in her chair, waiting patiently for the story to finish.

Carlisle smiled and continued, "So, you see, the moral of this story is: Never give your boyfriend a blow-job when he's hooked up to heart monitors or you'll end up with a broken ankle."

I'm not sure how it happened, but after hearing Carlisle say "blow-job," I lost my balance and fell out of my chair, hitting the floor with a thud. I looked up from the ground and saw all eyes on me. I had tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard, and I just kept giggling at the great punch line Carlisle delivered.

Then, everyone started laughing at me… but I didn't care. That was the funniest story I'd ever heard, and right then, a good laugh was exactly what I needed.

/~/+/~/

*~*EPOV*~*

_Man, this girl is a magnet for disaster._

I couldn't help but think that Bella had a very black cloud following her everywhere. I was actually beginning to think it was me that brought her bad luck. But at least it didn't start with me.

First, from what I could gather after Detective Aro debriefed us at the station, her parents were hacked to pieces. Second, she narrowly escaped that James fucker only to have him follow her and Emmett around the U.S. killing innocent children in their place. Third, she passed out at the hotel after she thought that dick muncher found her. And now, she and Emmett have an oversized doofus as a bodyguard that will monitor their every move.

Of course, all this was brought to light after they came here to live with us. We were supposed to be a safe place for them, a refuge from their shitty past, but it's all coming right back to blow up in their faces.

But the part that made me feel the worst wasn't any of that. That look she gave Jacob made my skin crawl because I really felt Bella was supposed to be mine. She didn't need to be blushing for anyone else but me and I knew I needed to keep Bella's attention. So I decided to be smooth and sweep behind her in the kitchen while she cut vegetables for dinner. Sure I wanted to get a reaction out of her. Maybe a gasp and that adorable blush she can't control, but I didn't mean for her to slice open her hand. _I mean, shit!_ I caused her to bleed, pass out, and need stitches all by just rubbing my hand across her ass and whispering in her ear. What would happen if I tried anything else? I'd be afraid she'd need some real medical attention from a heavy make-out session, or even worse, I'd kill her if we ever did the horizontal tango… or against a wall… or in the shower… or… _Dammit! Now I've got a woody._

Then, Dad went and told that story at dinner and she fell out of her chair probably bruising her coccyx. _What? I know the real terms._ We all wound up laughing _at_ her. At least she didn't seem to mind being the center of attention that time. But I definitely noticed that was something she hated before.

Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe she was starting to feel more comfortable with us. Whatever it was, I knew I still needed to talk to her. She evaded me ever since her unfinished comment in the car, but it kept bouncing around my head, nagging me and giving me a headache. _"Edward you make me…"_

_Make me what? Cold? Crazy? Want to jump your bones? Yeah, I like that last one._

Still, I had to figure out what was on her mind or I would be the one going crazy.

We finished dinner after Dad thoroughly embarrassed Alice and me and all went our separate ways. Emmett offered to play PS3 with me, but I declined, claiming a headache. He shrugged it off and sat down to duke it out with Jacob instead. Alice tried to pull Bella back up to her room, but I stared her down until she realized I'd claimed Bella before dinner.

I knew Alice would be helpful in orchestrating my little rendezvous for the evening because I wasn't sure Bella would come talk to me on her own. She seemed like that kind of girl who needed a push every once in a while, so I let Alice lead Bella upstairs while I raced up to my room.

After a few moments, I heard Alice in the hallway saying that she needed to go get something from my room. The next thing I knew there was a dainty, little knock on my door.

"Come in," I yelled, as I jumped into my computer chair and acted like I was busy.

"Hey, Edward?" Alice questioned. "I can't seem to find my iPod. Do you know where it is?"

"Nope. I haven't seen it. Did you ask Mom? She may have found it in the car when she carried in some of the bags."

"Okay, I'll try her." Alice turned to look at Bella, who was shyly peering around my room. She was chewing on her bottom lip and blushing. I shifted in my seat, readjusting my pants, as they suddenly were getting snug.

"Hey, Bella. You don't mind waiting here until I find it, do you? Edward can keep you company for a while." Alice winked over at me, but Bella didn't notice.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Bella mumbled, pulling at the hem of her shirt.

_Nice! Girl in my room!_

"Great!" Alice squeaked. "I'll come back up and get you in a bit, okay?"

Bella nodded in agreement and Alice flew out of my room. Bella stayed in the doorway and leaned against the frame, suddenly looking anxious and staring at her feet.

"Bella, you can come in you know. I won't bite," I tried coaxing her into the room. She looked up at me from under her lashes and I swear I almost jizzed my pants. She slowly made her way into my room and looked back and forth between me and the bed. The only thing I could think was that she was gauging where she should sit. Since I was occupying the chair, the only things left were the bed or the floor. And I was not going to let her sit on the floor.

"Bella, you can sit on the bed. I'll stay over here if that makes you more comfortable."

"Um, okay. Thanks." She smiled and took up residence on the end of my bed, pulling her legs underneath her body.

She glanced around my room, taking in everything on my walls. She finally settled on my "Wall-O-Music" and jumped off the bed toward it.

"Wow. You have so much music." She walked back and forth, reading the CD titles and touching them gently with her slender fingers. "Have you really listened to all of these?"

"Yeah. But I rarely listen to them anymore because my favorites are all on my iPod." I rolled my chair so that I was facing Bella. She glanced over at me with a bright gleam in her eyes and a soft smile on her face. I couldn't keep myself away from her any longer, so I got up and walked to her side.

"I've collected quite a few CDs over the years. Dad thinks we should be well rounded and listen to everything to really get a feel for what we like." She startled at our new proximity and the air seemed to buzz from our closeness.

"Well, this is certainly a huge collection. I only have four CDs and they're all classical. Listening to them seemed to help me stay calm and re-center me after a really bad nightmare."

She blushed at her admission and ducked her face, hiding it from my sight. She always seemed to say things she didn't mean to when she was around me. I was counting on that tonight. I needed answers.

"Bella, don't be shy about that. You can listen to any of this music whenever you want, okay? And… here," I reached for one of my favorite soundtracks and popped it into my stereo, "I think you'll like this. We can sit down and listen to this CD while we wait for Alice to get back, all right?"

The soft melodies of the music started floating around my room and Bella looked nervously up at me. I pulled her slowly toward me and wrapped my right arm around her waist while taking her right hand in my left. She rested her other hand on my shoulder and our bodies pressed deliciously together. Her breathing hitched and I could feel her heart pounding through her chest as we swayed to the music.

She eventually rested her head on my shoulder, too, and we stayed like that, swaying together, breathing in each other's scent until the song stopped playing.

"That was beautiful, Edward," she whispered as I reluctantly let her back away and sit on the bed. "Who was that?"

"That was Carter Burwell. He does lots of soundtracks for movies. The song we just listened to was from the modern remake of _Hamlet_ in 2000."

Bella looked impressed at my knowledge and nodded slightly while another track started playing. I walked over to my bed and sat down next to her. I scooted closer to the center of the bed and crossed my ankles, while resting back on my elbows. She turned her body facing me and leaned against the headboard as she pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

She looked calm as she closed her eyes and laid her head back, taking a deep breath and just listening. I didn't want to interrupt her peaceful moment, so I just watched her breathe as the music enveloped her. Every so often, a small smile would break across her face and she would sigh.

We must have sat like that for twenty minutes, with her lost in the world of music, and me lost in Bella. I knew it wouldn't last forever, and she flinched when she repositioned herself and placed pressure on her bandaged hand.

"Ow!" she yelped and cradled her hand to her chest.

"Bella? Are you okay? What happened?" I sat up immediately when she cried out and scrambled closer to her, taking her injured hand in my own and gently examining it.

"I think the numbing medicine is just wearing off," she said as she calmly watched me assessing her hand. "It's been sorta tingly for a while, but when I pushed on it to move, I got a sharp pain."

"I think I've got some ibuprofen in my bathroom. I'll get some for you. Stay here. I'll be right back."

I quickly jumped off the bed and ran into my bathroom. I searched the cabinets and drawers and finally found a bottle with only two pills left. _Huh… I guess I've been having more headaches lately._

I shrugged off the thought and walked back into the room and found an unopened bottle of water on my dresser. I brought them over to Bella and handed her the pills while I climbed back on the bed beside her and opened the water.

"Thank you," she smiled and downed the pills.

I leaned against the headboard and brought my legs underneath myself as she stretched out her legs and crossed them at the ankles. She set the water bottle between her knees and fiddled with the cap while she stared at her feet.

"Bella, um… can I ask you a question?" I started, fumbling my way through the words.

"Sure, I guess," she replied, not taking her eyes off her feet.

"Well, my family never knew what happened to you and your parents until last night, and I can't imagine the shit you've been through. But I also can't help wondering why you want to bottle all of that up. Doesn't it get tiresome carrying around all that fear and never being able to tell anyone?"

She thought about it for a minute before looking at me and answering, "I guess I never looked at it like that. I mean, I just always kept it to myself or talked to Emmett when I needed to share my feelings. None of our other foster families ever cared enough to ask us about what happened and I never trusted any of them enough to share my feelings.

"But I don't see it as bottling it up either. I think I'm afraid of losing the fear, to a degree. The way I see it, if I lose the fear, I lose the awareness, and if I lost that… well, I'd be afraid I'd lose my life."

I looked at her and furrowed my brow. "You know, Bella. That is really confusing. Why would sharing your feelings mean that you would die?"

She huffed and turned so she was facing me and sat indian-style next to me and placing the water bottle on the nightstand. "Edward, if I lose my awareness of the fear, if I get too comfortable, I let my guard down. I especially can't do that now when James is so close. If a secret slips to the wrong person and it somehow gets back to James, then we're all dead… and I'm not prepared to risk this family's existence because I said something I should've just kept to myself."

"But you don't have to be afraid of that here, Bella. We will protect you and Emmett no matter what. Dad is taking every precaution to ensure your safety while you're with us." I sighed and rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest as I continued, "And apparently, that even means bringing in a big, oafy bodyguard to follow you around and play school to make sure that happens."

Bella smiled, blushed and even giggled a little at my admission of distaste for the bodyguard. _God, I love that smile and blush._ It was wonderful knowing that I put it there, too.

"So, why were you sorry when the bodyguard got here?" I questioned. "I don't understand what you have to be sorry about."

"I feel terrible that I've brought him upon the family. I know he's here to protect us all, but it's a huge burden on the family that shouldn't have to happen. I screwed up, my body overreacted, and now the family has to suffer the consequences. It's just not fair. That's why I'm sorry."

"I can see why you would think that," I justified, "but we knew what we were getting in to when we asked you to come into our lives. We knew there would be risks, but we're willing to take them without question. Protecting this family is a priority, and… well, you and Emmett are part of this family now, so we're doing what we can to make you safe."

A pink hue rose to her cheeks when I mentioned making her safe and that reminded me of her little slip up in the car this morning.

"Oh, and… what were you going to say when we drove up the driveway this morning?" I asked as she stiffened and looked away, busying herself with the hem of her shirt.

"Um… I'm not, uh… sure what you mean." Her blush deepened and she started worrying her bottom lip so much that I thought she would bite a hole clean through it.

"Oh yes you do." I smiled, knowing I'd caught her in a lie. "I can see it on your face. You said, 'Edward, you make me…' but then you stopped and sat straight up and blew it off like it was nothing. Well, I never forget anything, Bella, so you should just tell me and get it over with or I'll keep torturing you until you do."

I turned my body more toward hers and reached up with my hand to pull her lip from her teeth before she ended up with more stitches. I gently lifted her face until she was forced to look me in the eye, our faces centimeters apart, and I gave her my best dazzling smile to melt her and make her spill.

Her shoulders slumped slightly and she licked her lips as she looked between my eyes and my mouth. I realized I was doing the same thing to her and then she whispered breathily, "Edward, you make me… feel safe, and happy, and… "

That was all she had a chance to say because I couldn't wait any longer. I leaned in, separating our already minimal distance and pressed my lips to hers. Her lips were perfect, and soft, and tasted like vanilla and cinnamon. I was trying to be gentle and sweet, but she had other plans.

She reached up and grabbed two fistfuls of hair and pulled me closer. I shifted and straddled her legs, being careful not to put any weight on them, and brought my left hand up to cup her face. I slipped my fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck and pulled slightly. She moaned in response and her tongue flicked out against my lips. I eagerly opened my mouth and slid out my tongue to meet hers, groaning at the contact. So warm, so soft.

Bella nipped at my bottom lip, pulling it into her mouth and sucking lightly. I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head and the situation in my pants was quickly heading toward combustion. I brought my right hand up and moved it under the hem of her shirt exposing a thin strip of skin above her jeans. I started rubbing slow circles with my thumb on her waist and she squirmed at the sensation.

Her grip on my hair tightened and she pressed her body closer to mine. I could feel her breasts heaving with every breath she took, rubbing against my chest. Her nipples were hard and I swear they were burning trails through my shirt with every move she made.

I kept making slow, tortuous circles with my thumb as I moved my hand further under her shirt and up her side. I knew I was broaching on new territory and I was really worried I'd screw it up, so I took my time, gauging her reactions. The closer I got to her chest, the faster her heart sped, the faster she breathed, and the harder she gripped my hair and kissed me. I took those as signs of her approval, so I continued my ascent.

Finally, I reached the underside of her breast and brushed it lightly with my thumb. The lace of her bra was warm from her body heat, and her breath caught in her throat as I stroked her flesh through the fabric.

I pulled back from her mouth ever so slightly, looked at her through hooded eyes and whispered, "Breathe, my Bella."

She took in a quick breath and her eyes shot open. She looked terrified and pushed me away with all her strength.

"I'm… we… I can't, Edward." Bella jumped off the bed, crossed her arms tightly over her chest and backed her way to my door. I realized she was trembling and tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks before she whimpered, "I'm sorry."

And with that, she was out of my room and down the stairs before my mind could process what happened.

_Shit! What have I done?_

_

* * *

_**A/N: That story Carlisle told at the dinner table really happened. I was the poor nurse that walked in on the dreaded scene. I assure you I laughed my ass off... after the patients were adequately cared for, of course.**

**So, Bella cock blocked herself and Edward. What do you think happened? What could have possibly made her freak out and bail on something she's been wanting? Chapter 12 and BPOV will clear some things up for everyone... I hope.**

**Rec time: Missypooh has an amazing little ditty she likes to call _How to Win Back the Love of Your Existence_. Please check it out. You won't be sorry. It's hilarious with a touch of angst and good smattering of smutty times. Happy reading! ;)**

**Oh, and did I mention WP has a forum? Check it out! **

http(:/)(/)www(.)twilighted(.)net(/)forum(/)viewtopic(.)php?f=44&t=11252


	12. Help

**A/N: Hello all my beautiful lovelies! I just have to say a super big thank you for every single one of your reviews/alerts/favorites! I had a record number of reviews for last chapter and the alerts and favorites just keep rolling in. I'm so happy all of you are enjoying my story! Keep 'em coming! TWSS!**

**Thank you to all the betas that made this happen: EmmyB, Dandiegoose, Twifan82, and Sovereignvision. You're all so wonderful and you make this story gorgeous!**

**Warning: Contains scenes of violence against children. If this makes you squicky, please don't read. Enter at your own risk.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own a new car, a new couch, and new bills. Yay! (cue sarcasm) ****©2010 twicrack83**

* * *

*~*BPOV*~*

The night was going so well. I managed to be civil toward Jake, and Emmett seemed to get along all right with him, too. Dinner was hilarious. Carlisle really knew how to take the focus off of me and my ability to attract disaster. Then everything went to hell when Edward invited me up to his room.

It started out awesome. Sure, I was nervous at first, but Edward was really sweet and calmed me down by putting in a CD. Such a simple gesture, but it was exactly what I needed to make me feel comfortable. I was really enjoying the way Edward always seemed to know how to make me relax. It was amazing just having him hold me while we swayed to the soft music.

And the kiss! Holy. Freaking. Hell. I'd never been kissed like that before. He was gentle but insistent at the same time. My body tingled from head to toe. The way his tongue moved effortlessly against mine was sinful. Then I felt his hand on my side, skin to skin. I thought I would pass out from excitement when he started slowly tracing circles on my skin and inching his way under my shirt. I wanted to feel him touch me so badly. It seemed like an eternity before he finally reached his target, but he was so tender and took his time, gauging my reactions before moving on. Then he whispered "My Bella" and it made me melt, but my brain decided I needed a flashback at the worst moment in the history of the world and I freaked.

I lost it... again. Fuck James and his sadistic mind games! You'd think I'd be able to forget what happened that night but it just kept coming back, and it was really getting out of hand. All I wanted was to be kissed and let Edward get his titty-grab on, but my stupid body chose that moment to trigger a very untimely memory. _Me standing in front of James as he reached toward me and…_

_Shit! I'm so having a nightmare tonight._

If one little touch, a simple caress of the underside of my boob could elicit such a terrifying, all consuming response, then my relationship with Edward was in serious peril. _I mean, damn!_ Being groped by Edward was a top priority and being able to help him out in the pants arena was something I felt was necessary to my survival. Something had to give.

One of three things was bound to happen: the flashbacks were going to ruin my life, I was going to be my usual stubborn self and bottle everything up, or I was going to have to tell someone what really happened.

None of those options were particularly appealing, but I needed to figure something out and fast.

As I ran out of Edward's room and raced down the stairs, I couldn't help but feel like a major ass for pushing him away. The look on his face was heartbreaking. He looked rejected, hurt, and completely confused, but there was no way I was going to tell him why I pushed him back. In time I would have to and I was not looking forward to that at all.

Alice saw me flying down the stairs and stared at me with a shocked looked on her face as she stepped out of my way. I stumbled into her room, covering my face with my hands as I sobbed, landing in a heap on her floor.

The sound of the door shutting was the only other noise besides my weeping. I didn't know what to say to Alice. _Hey, your brother just tried to feel me up and I flipped out because James was a psychopath._ Yeah, that would have gone over really well and probably would have confused the ever living snot out her, too.

I felt Alice's tiny hand on my shoulder as she knelt down next to me on the floor. She sighed and whispered, "What did Edward do to you? I swear I'll make his life a living hell for eternity if he hurt you."

I choked on my sobs, wiping away the never ending tears and looked at Alice. "No, Edward is perfect. He didn't do anything I didn't want him to do. I'm just so fucked up that my brain can't process what's good for me versus what should make me run for my life."

Alice seemed concerned. "Bella, I'm not going to pry, but I really think you need to talk to someone. You've had too many terrible things happen to you. A body can't handle that kind of stress and the past couple of days have really been a test on your coping abilities. I think your brain is trying to tell you that coping is becoming too difficult by yourself."

I wiped more tears from my cheeks and nodded as I sat up, pulling my knees to my chest. Alice was right. My brain wasn't handling my stress anymore. It would just go straight into overdrive whenever a trigger presented itself. I was becoming a slave to my bodily reactions, no longer in control of my responses. If I kept this up, I would hurt myself worse than I already had, or worse… hurt someone else.

"Alice, I'm so sorry," I sniffled. "You're absolutely right. I do need to talk to someone, but I don't know if I can talk to another shrink. They seem to make everything worsebecause they always want to get right down to most horrible things. I just need someone who will let me go at my own pace."

"That sounds perfect, Bella." Alice repositioned herself and sat next to me while she placed her arm around my shoulders. "We can talk to Dad in the morning and see if he knows of any good psychs in the area, okay?"

"Thank you. I'd really appreciate that." I shifted around and curled my legs underneath myself, turning to look at Alice. "I'm sorry that you have to see me like this. It's not right for you to have to deal with my crazy ass."

"Bella," Alice chided, "stop apologizing! You are not allowed to say you're sorry unless you actually do something wrong. From what I can tell, you've done nothing. Even though I don't know your whole story, I know you've had some seriously fucked up shit happen to you. Whatever it was left some wicked scars and that's going to take some time to heal. And I'm warning you… if I hear you say 'sorry' and you've not completed a heinous act, I'll kick your ass into next Tuesday."

We both laughed at her statement and it really got me thinking. I never realized how much apologizing I did. I always felt like I was to blame for everyone else's distress. In a way, I guess I was, but it was because I was so overwhelmed with anxiety that I projected my feelings onto others. I wanted someone to say they were sorry to me, but deep down I didn't think that would make anything better.

Nothing was going to bring my parents or my old life back. The Cullens were my new life and I needed to embrace that fact. They were the best thing to happen to Emmett and me in forever and being stubborn would only push them away. I needed to accept their love and let them into my bubble or I'd end up losing them, too.

After talking for a while, Alice convinced me that a movie and some popcorn would be a good way to unwind. She insisted I take the bed for the night and she curled up in a sleeping bag on the floor after starting the movie. We continued to chat on and off about nonsense like school and before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep.

/~/+/~/

_The room is empty except for a single chair. A window is open letting a soft breeze blow through making the curtains sway in a hypnotizing rhythm. The setting sun casts long shadows on the floor, and the heat warms my toes as I step into the light streaming across the hard wood under my feet. I hear him advance from behind me and I'm calmed by his presence._

"_I wanted to watch the sunset with you, Bella," Edward whispers into my ear as he brushes the hair off my shoulder. I shiver in delight while he walks around me, dragging his fingertips across the flushed skin of my neck. "Come, my love."_

_Edward walks to the chair and I watch the muscles on his shirtless back contract and release with every movement. His jeans sit dangerously low on his hips and as he turns to sit, facing me, I get a glimpse of that beautiful "v." He pats his knee and motions for me to join him._

_As I move closer to him I feel my heart skip a beat and I inhale sharply from excitement. He smiles crookedly up at me and I blush. I nibble on my bottom lip as I return a slight smile and inch my way to his side. The chair is facing the window giving us a perfect view of the setting sun on the horizon. Rich yellows, oranges, and reds filter through the window and my silk dress tickles my thighs as I make my way across the room._

_Finally I'm standing in front of Edward as he looks up at me with hooded eyes. He grins at me as he slowly raises his right arm and reaches for my hand to pull me closer. My blush deepens under his heated gaze and I lower my eyes to the floor as the last of the sunlight leaves the room._

_I feel his hand on mine, but it's not soft and warm like Edward's. Instead, there is a rough hardness to it and my face scrunches up in confusion. I turn to look at our intertwined fingers and a chill runs up my spine._

_Realization dawns on me and I start trembling in fear. All the light is sucked from the room and the air turns frigid and still as I force my face to look at my captor. Slowly, deliberately, I raise my head and my breath immediately catches in my throat. Edward no longer occupies the chair. Now sitting in front of me, gripping my hand is the one person in the world I want to be the furthest from…_

_James._

_I'm suddenly five years in the past standing defeated and humiliated in front of James. He sneers at me and rubs his calloused thumb over my knuckles as he pulls me closer. I'm resisting and tugging my arm away from his grasp but my attempts are futile. I blink rapidly, trying to erase the tears that are threatening to spill._

"_Don't you want to come here, baby? I have something for you to see." James' voice is gravelly and sinister. I continue to struggle and yank my arm away but I'm suddenly immobilized with fear as he grips both my arms and pins them to my sides. "You will stay still, little girl, or this will end badly for you. Do you understand?"_

_My body is paralyzed. I can't speak. I just want to run. To hide. To find safety._

_A loud pop echoes around the room as James smacks me across the face. I whimper and cower, trying desperately not to cry as a sting resonates on my face._

"_Answer me, you little twat!" James screams as he grabs my face and forces me to meet his gaze._

"_Yes, I understand," I manage to whisper._

"_Good. Now, I'm going to let go of your arms, but if you move or struggle, you'll get worse than a smack to the face."_

_He shifts in his seat, releasing my arms and leaving me standing still in front of him. I don't dare move and I hold my breath, waiting for what happens next._

_James cocks his head to the side and squints in thought. A creepy smile spreads slowly across his face as he leans forward in the chair, resting his forearms on his legs. He clasps his hands together and licks his cracked lips when a small chuckle leaves his body._

"_I'm going to have a lot of fun with you. Step closer," James sneers._

_I take a half step toward him, willing my body to stop trembling. A whimper escapes me and James' smile grows at my discomfort. I'm now standing dangerously close to him and our faces are mere inches apart. His hands are close enough that they graze my thighs and I stiffen in response._

"_Don't be scared," James said playfully. "If you do as I say, I'll consider keeping you around for a while. I'll give you some rules to make this easier for you. Don't speak unless I tell you to. Don't move unless I direct you to. And if you do exactly what I want, I'll reward you."_

_I stare blankly straight ahead, hearing James speak but not truly processing all of his words. I feel tears stream down my face and I hear soft cries coming from mouth, but I don't remember starting to sob. I feel outside of myself, like I'm watching from the corner of room unable to save myself from the torture that's to come._

_James sits up straighter in his chair and raises his left arm. He touches my cheek and scrapes his fingertips across my skin. I flinch but don't pull away. Then, everything starts going in slow motion._

_His hand grates across my flesh, starting at my cheek then travelling down my neck and across my collarbone to my shoulder. He pauses, looks at me hungrily, but continues his descent down my arm and stops at my waist._

_I slowly look down at his hand willing for him to stop and realize I'm back in jeans and a tee shirt, complete with bloody stains. James glides his hand between my hips and my shirt begins to lift away from my skin. He slides his fingers beneath the hem of my shirt and sighs when he touches my abdomen. I cringe and lift my head, staring straight ahead again to the far corner of the room._

_My body is screaming at me to move but my brain is telling me to stay where I am or I'll regret it. I hear a creak coming from the front of the tiny cabin and immediately flinch at the noise, inadvertently moving away from James._

"_I said stay still!" James screams and pulls me closer to him and I stumble, landing on my knees in front of him._

_A wicked gleam dances in his eyes and I notice my shirt is bunched up in his fists exposing most of my torso. I automatically whimper and plead with my eyes for him to stop, but James isn't fazed and pulls my shirt over my head, hiding my face with the fabric. I want to hurl as the strong iron and rust smell hits my nostrils and I dry heave into my shirt. The motion makes me lurch forward into James' lap._

"_Eager, are we?" James mocks while he pulls the shirt off my face and down my arms. My arms are now immobile behind my back and fear roots me to the spot._

_Suddenly, both his hands are on my hips, gripping so hard I know I'll have bruises. He skims his hands up my sides and I cry out when he reaches my ribs that are bruised from his kick earlier. He squeezes tighter on that spot and I howl out in pain. An evil laugh escapes James and more tears fall from my swollen eyes._

_His hands continue their ascent up my sides and when he reaches my bra I hold my breath and tremble uncontrollably. My mind takes over and I close my eyes, waiting for the darkness to consume me again._

"Bella! Bella! Wake up!"

A voice called to me from the distance. Tiny hands gripped my shoulders and shook my body. I tried my best to stay still and my hands remained behind my back per James' instructions. _I don't want him to hurt me._ My sobs racked my body, and I squeezed my eyes tighter when I lost the contact of the small hands.

"Dad! Mom! Help!"

I writhed and thrashed when gentle hands clutched my arms. I couldn't handle being touched anymore. I had to escape whether he killed me or not.

"Isabella! Wake up! It's not real!"

My eyes shot open and I stopped moving instantly. My feet were tangled in the sheets, my arms were caught underneath my body, and I stared straight into the eyes of Esme.

"Sweetie, it's okay. It was just a nightmare. He's not going to hurt you. You're safe now," Esme whispered as she pushed hair out of my eyes and off my face.

"Oh god," I groaned and rolled onto my side. Burying my face in the pillow I muttered, "Who found me this time?"

"Um… you woke me up," Alice admitted while she sat down next to me on the bed.

"What did I say?" I grumbled, my face still hiding in the pillow.

"You didn't really say anything. It was more like sobbing and when I got up to ask you what was wrong your entire body was shaking." Alice paused and I could hear the hesitation in her voice when she continued. "I thought you were having a seizure."

_Crap! Just what I need. Violent, involuntary twitching that accompanies my nightmares._

Esme gasped when she heard Alice's admission and started running through a huge list of questions.

"Have you ever had a seizure before? Have you been having any headaches? Have you been dizzy at all? Any vomiting or unexplained nausea?"

_What is this? Twenty questions?_

"Well, no. None of that has been happening." I turned and sat up, leaning against the headboard. "The only thing that's been new recently is the fainting. The nightmares are following their normal course and the shaking Alice saw was me overcome with fear. You can ask Emmett. He's been through this several times before."

Esme and Alice seemed relieved but I wasn't sure why. I guess it was a good thing that I wasn't having seizures, but Esme's questions and Alice's hesitation were just a little on the strange side.

I sighed, brought my knees to my chest and pulled on a string that was dangling from my pajama pants. It was morning and the sun shone brightly through Alice's bedroom window. That meant today was the day I needed to ask Carlisle for help.

Several minutes passed with me lost in thought about what I was going to say to Carlisle, and neither Alice nor Esme made any effort at conversation. I hated the silence. My mind did bad things when it got quiet, so I scooted off the bed and made my way to the bathroom. I had to keep myself busy or these nightmares would eat me alive.

After splashing cold water on my face, I padded back to Alice's room and noticed the house was really quiet.

"Where is everyone?" I asked as I plopped back down on Alice's bed, acting like my little episode never happened.

"Carlisle is in the garage and Edward, Emmett, and Jake all went to the soccer practice this morning," Esme explained. She still looked concerned but slightly more relaxed now that I wasn't trembling under her touch. "When Alice called for us this morning I didn't have time to get Carlisle before I ran to the room."

"Do you want me to go get Dad so you can talk to him?" Alice questioned.

"Uh, yeah. I think that would be good," I answered. "Now's as good a time as any, I guess."

I just wanted to get it over with. Talking to Carlisle about needing help wouldn't get any easier the longer I waited.

Alice raced out of the room and was back in under a minute with Carlisle hot on her heels. When he came through the door and saw me sitting on the bed, his face looked pained, concerned, and relieved all at once.

"How are you feeling, Isabella?" Carlisle walked over to the bed, standing in front of me. I could tell he was assessing me, making sure I wasn't going to faint again.

"I'm fine. Thank you," I responded, smiling softly up at him. "I just had another nightmare. But Alice convinced me last night that I need to talk to you."

"Did she now?" asked Carlisle as he smiled down at me and winked at Alice.

"Um, well… I've always had the nightmares, but they're getting more intense. I've never had the fainting, but it's getting a little ridiculous. And Alice made a good point last night that I'm not coping well anymore and I… I think I need help. But I don't want some random shrink that thinks they know more about my past than I do. I need someone that is willing to move at my pace, whether that's fast or slow."

Carlisle nodded and looked back and forth between Alice and me. He inhaled deeply and rubbed his chin with his hand pensively.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that, Isabella. When we originally asked for you and Emmett to live with us, we made an arrangement that I would be allowed to acquire psychological professionals of my choosing, not the one that was going to be assigned to you."

"Well, that sounds good," I interjected. "Were you able to find someone that understands what we've been through, someone that won't make us feel like ignorant wastes of space?"

"Yes I was. In fact, an old friend of mine is moving to the area and will be helping you and Emmett out in that arena. But I'll also be here whenever you need to talk, whenever you're ready. All you have to do is ask."

My jaw dropped open and my breath caught in my throat. I wasn't expecting Carlisle's offer to be my shrink. Did I really want him to know every last gory detail of that night? On the other hand, could I trust Carlisle's friend to keep my secrets confidential? Could I truly let myself rely on someone else? But most importantly… Was I ready?

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**A/N: Damn nightmares! Those are some evil little buggers. James is a nasty, nasty man. What do you think happens next in the nightmare? Anyone recognized that Bella's nightmares follow a course? What about her admission to needing some help? Who is the shrink going to be? Lots of questions in the chapter. If anyone wants to discuss or has any other questions, visit the WP forum (link in my profile)! I post teasers, so put me on alert over at Twilighted, too!**

**Okay, here's my plea for your patience. I'm starting a new job and it's going to suck the life out of me for a while. I will post when I can but it may take me 2-3 weeks in between posts. I'm sorry and I promise to make it up to you all with introductions of key characters and outtakes. So, if you want to see the outtakes when I post them, put me on Author Alert and they'll pop into your email when I get them up. They will be different POV's and may help you understand more of what's going on with the story.**

**Thank you all so much for staying with me on this crazy ride! I can't wait to see where we go from here!**

**Love Bunches,**

**M ;)  
**


	13. Hiding

**A/N: Hello again my beautiful, awesome, amazing readers! I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who reviews/alerts/favorites! All my posting sites combined are verging on the 400 review mark and I can't believe it! That's simply amazing! My readers make me the happiest author in the fandom!**

**Thanks to twifan82 and Sovereignvision for tweaking this bad boy for me and making the ending better than it was. Also, the hubs made me giggle when he commented, "Continually referring to Edwards "head(s)" was very smartly done."**

**Enjoy my sweets!  
**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own a new job that's kicking my ass. ©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*EPOV*~*

_Ugh!_ Bella was making me dizzy. One minute she's sucking my face and gripping my hair, moaning into my mouth, and the next she's running from my room with a look of terror on her face.

I was shocked, confused, worried… scared. At first she seemed really into me touching her. Her breathing hitched, her heart rate spiked, she whimpered and pulled my closer. But then, she took in a deep breath and stiffened when I barely grazed her boob. I thought I hurt her somehow. Maybe scratched her or accidentally pinched her skin, but her facial expression didn't look like she was hurt. All the color drained from her face and her eyes were huge. She looked one hundred percent horrified.

Immediately thoughts of inadequacy swam around my head. _Did she not want me to touch her? Was she disgusted by me? Did she like me at all? Did I move too fast? _

She was out of my room before I could ask her what was wrong. I couldn't move. It felt like my body was literally glued to the bed. My muscles wouldn't listen to my brain's command to follow her. All I wanted to do was run after her and kiss her some more. _ I'm such an ass._

So I just let her go. I would figure it out eventually, even if I had to pull teeth. Until then, I wouldn't touch her… I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt her again. I'd done enough of that in the last few days to last a lifetime. Avoidance was going to be my best friend for a while, and it was going to kill me. But I couldn't be the cause of her pain anymore, so I'd keep my distance and watch her like a hawk for any signs that she needed me. I'd intervene when necessary, but only then. Bella would have to make the next move.

/~/+/~/

The next morning I woke up at the butt crack of dawn and got ready for my soccer practice. Emmett decided he wanted to go along and, per protocol, Jake was forced to accompany him anywhere outside of the house. My morning went from super-cool-time-with-Emmett, to super-annoying-time-with-muscley-douchebag in two seconds flat.

In all fairness, I hadn't really had the chance to talk for more than five minute stretches with Jake, but I still wasn't sure if I could get along with him. We'd have to change that or this school year was going to blow some major balls.

I drove to practice and Emmett flipped through my iPod selections at rapid speed. He seemed to really enjoy all the songs I uploaded, even the classical ones, but I don't know if he really got a good chance to hear them. Only listening to each song for twenty seconds didn't seem like enough time to truly enjoy them, but he was having fun. I couldn't help but chuckle at him every time he yelled about how much he loved a song and then switched it the next second.

Other than Emmett's random outbursts, the ride to practice was quiet. I couldn't help but dwell on why Bella ran from my room. I knew I was being a total emo teenager over the whole episode, but there was no way I was going to bring this up in front of Emmett or Jake. Either Bella was going to tell me what happened, or I was going to be forced to run to Alice and beg her for answers. But that plan would only work if Alice knew what really happened, and that was about as likely as me getting Bella's bra off any time soon.

So, instead of just talking to Bella like a man, I was a pouting, sulking, brooding mess. At least Emmett didn't know I tried to feel up his sister. I'm sure I'd be hurting right about now if that was the case.

At practice I introduced Emmett and Jake to my teammates and everyone seemed to get along really well. When I was on the field, Emmett and Jake were in the stands cheering me on. During one of the endurance drills, I distinctly heard Emmett yell, "Woohoo! Hey, Sexy Pants!" When I turned to look at the bleachers, Emmett had his shirt pulled up, hiding his face, and his shorts were halfway down his legs with his boxers flapping in the wind. He was dancing around, swinging his hips and kicking his legs to no apparent rhythm. Jake was just sitting beside him, shaking his head and chuckling. It was a sight to behold, and that was the moment I knew Emmett would fit in just fine.

Practice ended and we got back home around eleven. Mom and Dad were whispering quietly in the kitchen and Alice and Bella were nowhere to be found. I dropped my muddy bag and shoes at the door, said a quick "hello" to Mom and Dad and ran to my room. On the way, I stopped briefly in front of Alice's closed door and heard the girls giggling. _Well, at least Alice doesn't make her run crying from her room._

Continuing up the stairs, I grabbed some Advil out of the bathroom and chased them with my bottled water. Ever since Bella left my room the night before, I'd had a dull headache. Now it was just getting annoying and I had too much on my mind to deal with a stupid headache.

I hadn't been alone for long when Emmett and Jake joined me in my room. We decided to go down to the basement and throw around some testosterone on the _Wii_. After an hour, Mom called down that lunch was ready and we all met in the kitchen.

Bella was talking to Dad at the counter and took a small paper from him. She folded it up quickly when she saw me and shoved it in her pocket at lightning speed, blushing in the process. Alice was setting plates on the counter and she seemed to be lost in her own happy, little world. _Nothing new there._ Mom placed the sandwiches next to the plates and dumped a bag of chips in a bowl next to them. She looked lost in thought, too. Something was definitely going on, and the quieter they were, the more I worried.

_This is not good for my headache._

Emmett and Jake each took three sandwiches and two huge handfuls of chips. Of course I couldn't let them show me up, so I did the same. We scarfed them down in silence while everyone else talked sporadically about nonsense. I narrowed my eyes at Alice and she just smiled, knowing I knew something wasn't right.

I peeked over at Bella and she was blatantly staring at me. She grinned and popped a chip in her mouth, crunching loudly. Then she stuck her fingers in her mouth, one by one, and sucked off the crumbs… slowly. Every time she pulled a finger out of her mouth there was small "pop," and the tip of her tongue swirled around the fingertips before starting in on the next one.

_This was torture! Excruciating, agonizing, unbearable torture!_

My shorts bulged painfully, and I was glad my lower half was hidden by the island counter and that Mom and Dad decided to eat in the living room. I felt myself getting slightly dizzy from the loss of blood to my head… well, the head on my shoulders, anyway.

Bella let out a soft giggle, bit her bottom lip, and started talking to Alice about school. I shook my head… not that head… and tried to think of things that would make "Little Striker" calm the fuck down. There was no way I'd be moving from behind the counter until he started behaving himself. And in his current state of affairs, that would take a while.

After a few minutes, I looked over at Emmett and Jake who were finishing up their lunches. Emmett had his "death glare" out and he was cracking his knuckles and gritting his teeth.

_Uh oh. Not good._

Jake was looking back and forth between Emmett and me, and he seemed to be preparing for a fight. Then, Bella chimed in.

"Emmett, you're being ridiculous," she hissed and promptly flipped him the finger. "Fuck off, will you?"

Emmett's cheeks and ears turned pink, and he huffed as he stomped out of the kitchen. Jake chuckled and patted me once on the shoulder.

"Way to go, man," he joked. "I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to piss that guy off, and I'm bigger than he is."

I couldn't help but take a deep breath in relief. Emmett could easily kick my ass and if I kept ogling Bella, he'd have my head on a platter. Probably both heads.

I shivered at that thought and ran my fingers through my hair to calm myself down. I shook my head and went to walk out of the kitchen.

"Edward, can I talk to you?"

_So much for calming down._

*~*BPOV*~*

After talking with Carlisle about the new shrink, he took off the bandage on my hand and inspected my stitches. He said everything looked great and he would remove the stitches completely in a week. Alice stole me after that, and we made some French toast before plopping down in front of the TV in the living room. We lazily chatted about the upcoming school year and flipped back and forth between three movies. When we decided that was boring, we went back up to her room, repainted our toenails, and she played with my hair.

"I think I'm actually looking forward to talking to someone," I said as Alice brushed through my rat's nest.

"I think it will be a really great thing for you, too, Bella," Alice replied. "And the name of that doctor sounds really familiar, like Dad has talked about him a lot. He must be really good if he's willing to ask him for his help. Lucky for you he's moving back in town."

"And lucky for you he has a son that'll be in your class," I laughed.

"Yeah, that definitely is an added bonus. Dad said I'd met him before, but neither of us had even turned two years old yet, so there's no way I'd remember him."

Alice zoned out for a few minutes and mindlessly combed through my tangles while intermittently sighing. It seemed like she was feeling really content about something.

At least _she_ was feeling relaxed. As much as I wanted and knew I needed the help, I was getting a little nervous. Nothing ever prepared me for a new shrink and they always left a bad taste in my mouth after the meetings. I never felt like I could open up to anyone, but I was hoping this time would be different. For one thing, I would be spending the longest stretch of time with this doctor. I'd only spent at most four separate meeting times with any one shrink, but this time I was hoping to meet with him at least once a week over the next year. That would be plenty of time to recover, right?

"So, are you going to talk to Edward about last night?" Alice interrupted my musings. "If I know anything about my brother, he's probably moping around like a lost puppy. He always blows everything out of proportion and makes himself believe he's to blame."

"Yeah, I was thinking I'd need to do that sooner or later," I answered. "He definitely needs to know it wasn't his fault at all. The question is, though… how much do I tell him?"

"Just tell him what you told me. That will be plenty to make him feel better about himself. But if he comes home today and is all emo-pouty-teenage-loser, I'll be forced to set up an intervention to make him get over his own self righteousness."

We both laughed loudly at that, and then I heard feet shuffling outside of her room and bounding steps up to the third floor.

/~/+/~/

At lunch I wanted to show Edward that I was still completely into him, so I pulled out some of tricks to watch him squirm. Licking my fingers seemed to really do the trick. Try as he might to hide himself behind the counter, I knew exactly the effect I was having on him that very moment. I even thought he was going to break the counter top at one point when his knuckles turned so white I worried he'd lose complete circulation.

Then, in swooped Emmett and scared the poor boy. It was my entire fault in the first place, but Emmett would never believe for one minute Edward didn't instigate that happy little moment. Always the protector, Emmett had to feel like he still had some say in who dealt with me.

When Edward went to leave the kitchen, Alice nudged my elbow and winked. I took this as my opportunity to steal him and let him know that what happened last night wasn't his fault.

"Edward, can I talk to you?"

"Um, yeah," he said as he slowly turned to face me, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "I guess that would be all right. Do you want to go outside?"

I looked out the window and it was actually sunny. The past couple of days had been dreary at best, but it seemed nice enough now.

"Okay. I'd like that."

He led the way and we ended up sitting in the lounge chairs next to the pool.

"Edward, I…" I began.

"Bella, we…" Edward started.

We both smiled and Edward bowed his head minutely, signaling me to continue.

"I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry for bailing on you like I did last night," my voice quivered as I spoke. _Why the hell am I so nervous? It's not like I'm telling him I'm pregnant._ "Uh, I feel super evil for running out without a better explanation. I kinda left you in the dark and I want to make sure you don't think it was anything you did."

Edward visibly relaxed. I'm pretty sure he even sighed a little. _How cute is that!_

"I'm glad you said that," Edward explained. "I worried that I'd hurt you or that you didn't… want me to do…"

"No, Edward," I interrupted. "I really like y… liked kissing you and I wasn't planning on stopping your other… advances either. It's just that my body is working in overdrive right now, especially the last few days. My brain is so fried from all the extra input that not having an outlet is finally taking its toll."

I paused and Edward looked at me incredibly confused.

"I don't follow."

"Well," I tried to collect myself because I knew this was when I had to decide what details I would and wouldn't tell him. "I haven't been talking to anyone about what happened that night, so my anxiety and stress have been building without having anywhere to go. That's why I've been fainting lately. My brain doesn't know how to cope anymore and it's decided that passing out is a good way to deal with the stress. I, however, feel differently."

"But you didn't pass out last night, right?" Edward ran his hands through his hair. "I'm still not getting what you're trying to say."

I huffed and continued, "Because I don't have an outlet for all my memories, stress, or anxiety, my brain likes to throw things at me at very inappropriate times. Unfortunately, last night happened to be one of those times. Don't get me wrong. I was enjoying every second of last night, up until you… well, you were there. When you touched me, my brain panicked and threw a memory at me. That's what freaked me out. It wasn't anything you did, I swear."

Edward looked furious, sad, and worried all at once. "What happened to you, Bella?"

"I can't tell you any more than that. But I did ask your Dad to help me. He's got an old friend moving back into town and he'll be lending his services as a shrink. I just hope it helps."

I hated that Edward looked dejected and that I made him feel that way. I didn't want to hurt him, but there was no way I was going to tell him his boob graze sent me headlong into a horrific flashback. I'd tell him someday, anyway.

"I know you need to heal before you can tell me anything, but I want you to know that you can trust me when or if you ever want to tell me, okay?" Edward smiled gently and brushed some hair off my cheek with his hand.

I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes for a second, soaking up all his comfort.

"Thank you," I sighed. "I really appreciate that, and I hope to tell you some day what happened, but today isn't a good time."

"I understand." Edward paused then dazzled me with his best crooked smile. "So, what did my Dad give you in the kitchen that you folded so quickly and hid away?"

"It's really kinda silly, but it was the name and number of his friend that he's referring me to. I'm not even sure why I thought I needed to hide it from you. I guess I just don't want to seem weak in front of you, and asking for help makes me feel puny. See… it's stupid."

I reached in my pocket and pulled out the folded sticky note. I handed it to him as he shook his head and smiled.

"Yeah, I guess that is sorta silly, but you should never feel that way when you need help. In fact, asking for help is the most courageous thing you can do. So, don't feel puny, okay, beautiful."

He leaned forward to take the note and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. I think I evaporated into a million tiny "Bella molecules" and floated around in space. My body tingled all over and I sighed in contentment.

"Hey, I think I know this guy," Edward interrupted, looking at the paper. "Dr. Whitlock used to come over a lot when I was really little. He had a kid, I think, but I can't remember his name."

"Your Dad mentioned a son whose Alice's age, but he didn't say any names either." I stopped and thought back to my conversation with Carlisle. "It was odd, though. He kept talking about jazz."

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**A/N: So, this was the shortest chapter yet. But it was this or wait another 2 weeks for a post, so don't bite the hand that feeds you. ::wink::**

**Did everyone catch who the shrink's kid is? We are getting into new character introduction now and the story will move along quite a bit faster. So far, we've only spanned about five days, but we'll be skipping a lot of the school stuff unless it's pertinent. High school was too mundane for me so I'll briefly mention issues, but won't dwell. This is a little more complicated than the usual Twi-highschool-FF, and I plan to keep it as adult as possible without taking them out of their element. With that being said, I will continue to delve into Bella's recovery and some scenes may not be suitable to younger readers or those with squicky stomachs and I'll always warn you at the beginning of the chapters.**

**Self pimpage: I hate putting myself out there like this, but I have to rec another story that I did. I composed a O/S with a friend and it won first place! It's called _Glamour Shots_ and it's uploaded on my profile. It's a quirky, cute little fic that my coauthor will be continuing on her own, so make sure you go to her profile, too, and leave her some love.  
**

**Thank you all again for reading and reviewing. You truly all make me smile. ;) 3  
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	14. Unexpected

**A/N: Hello, my beautiful, awesome, amazing, wonderful readers! I've missed you tremendously and can't wait to hear what you have to say about this chapter. Thank you all so much for your loyalty and kindness. You all make writing so enjoyable and when I see the alerts/favorites/reviews, I get all emo. ::wipes tear from cheek::**

**Thanks to my betas twifan82 and SovereignVision. They swore the ending was awesome, so get mad at them if you don't like it.  
**

**I understand some of the issues in this story are not entirely accurate or plausible. I'm claiming creative license, so don't rain on my parade.**

**This chapter starts with a small recap from last chapter and moves really quickly. If I left anything out, it's because it wasn't important. Future psych sessions will be included, so that's why I skipped over them this chapter. She's not talking about anything vital to the story because she's not entirely comfortable yet, but we'll get there soon.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own a husband with a weird sense of humor.  
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*~*BPOV*~*

"_Hey, I think I know this guy," Edward interrupted, looking at the paper. "Dr. Whitlock used to come over a lot when I was really little. He had a kid, I think, but I can't remember his name."_

"_Your Dad mentioned a son whose Alice's age, but he didn't say any names either." I stopped and thought back to my conversation with Carlisle. "It was odd, though. He kept talking about jazz."_

"Jasper! That's right! Alice couldn't say his full name so she just called him 'Jazz.' I guess it stuck." Edward chuckled, "Alice was relentless! She'd chase him around the house and beat him with toys when he wouldn't play with her dolls. I bet she doesn't even remember."

"Holy crap, that's hilarious!" I laughed. "She's never gonna live that down now that I know."

We laughed and joked back and forth for another hour and ended up curled next to each other on a single lounge chair. Edward held me and ran his fingers through my hair, and I drifted off to sleep in his warm arms.

/~/+/~/

The last two and a half days before school started were rather uneventful… thankfully. No more nightmares, no more fainting spells, and no more crazy-ass Bella.

Friday night was full of goofing off and playing "Capture the Flag" paintball-style in the field behind the house. Jake, Alice, and I were on one team while Emmett and Edward decided to be all macho and take us on. Much to Edward's surprise, Alice and I turned out to be great shots, and we had them beat in the first ten minutes. They demanded a rematch immediately, but only kept us at bay for fifteen minutes in the second round.

Jake wasn't even truly trying. He seemed to be observing more than actually playing. He was distant but smiled and laughed along with us. He was enjoying himself, just watching the girls duke it out with the boys, or more accurately, the girls kicking the boys' asses.

Saturday was organization day. Alice claimed she had a fun-filled day planned when I met her in the kitchen for breakfast, but what I didn't know was that she was actually going to turn into a tornado and take over my life.

She kicked Jake out of my room for the majority of the day and went through every article of clothing, deciding what I would wear for the first month of school. Then she laid out all my school supplies and books, going through my schedule and telling me about some of the teachers. She even went as far as drawing out a detailed map of the school so I wouldn't get lost. She explained it was actually futile, since Edward and I were in all the same classes, but she wanted to feel helpful. And that she was. Insane… but helpful.

Saturday evening was spent pool side. Edward, Emmett, and Jake were having "noodle" fights on the diving board. It was like watching _Gladiators_ but with a hint of dork thrown in the mix. But holy hell! Who would have thought some floaty-styrofoam-type toys could leave welts. They were not being gentle on each other, and by the end of the night their bodies were covered in bright red patches and bumps.

Alice and I were extremely happy we didn't have to show off our maleness. We just watched and laughed, surprising them with the occasional splash of water to the face, causing them to get off balance and tumble into the pool. The evening was extremely relaxing and we stayed outside until we all started shivering.

Sunday was another restful day by the pool. After waking up bruised and hurting, the boys decided that beating each other to a pulp with "noodles" was not an appropriate form of torture for the day's games. Instead, they wanted everyone to participate in the pain and water polo was their choice for mass embarrassment.

Carlisle joined in to make the teams even, while Esme sat on the sidelines and made sure everyone stayed honest. We played five games and completely exhausted ourselves. In the midst of all the hilarity and chaos, Emmett ended up with a black eye when Edward elbowed him in the face, and I sprained my wrist trying to get out of the way of Jake's massive frame. Alice wound up having a foot shaped bruise on her ribs from Edward using her as a stepping stool, and Carlisle got a bloody nose after Emmett unknowingly launched the ball straight at his face. Edward, on the other hand, got away almost pain free until he claimed he had a "Charlie horse" and we all agreed it was time for dinner.

Esme grilled some amazing chicken and hamburgers for dinner and we watched the sun go down on our last night of freedom. I was actually looking forward to this school year. It meant my last year of high school and my last year of foster care. I'm not sure which one I wanted more, but I knew I wanted to make this year worth it.

The first week of school went by without a hitch. Jake moved into his "real" family's house and I got my room back. Also, Emmett and I both talked with Dr. Whitlock over the phone a couple of times. He apologized profusely about not meeting us in person, but he said his office was still in shambles and he wanted everything comfortable and perfect for our first face to face sessions. Dr. Whitlock had an extremely calming and inviting personality which made the prospect of meeting with him less stressful.

And if he was anything like his son, I knew Emmett and I would be in for a very relaxing environment. We met Jasper on the first day of school and I was immediately calmed by his presence. He was so laid back and comfortable in his skin. It was truly unreal to see a high school student so carefree. Alice had almost all her classes with him and she wouldn't stop talking about him. The first time they saw each other they just stood there and stared into the other person's eyes. I tried to get Alice's attention by waving my hand in front of her face and even shaking her shoulders, but nothing would break her concentration. Jasper seemed to be just as lost until Alice giggled and blushed, which made Jasper smile. He offered to carry her books to class and Alice looked at me and winked while practically flinging herself at him. It was the weirdest exchange I'd ever seen. I glanced over at Edward but he just shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't anything new.

Jake drove us all to school as part of our safety. When he first came to the Cullen's house he was in a beat up, piece of shit truck, but when he picked us up for school each day he was driving a freaking huge, red Hummer. _Must be standard issue for a bodyguard. _Either way, he was the coolest kid in our class because of it and he had his work cut out for him. Not only did he have to keep the four of us safe, but he now had to deal with throngs of pubescent girls, and some boys, fawning all over him. The guy was a chick and dick magnet.

Then entire month of September flew by. Emmett made it on the football team and was the star quarterback, but he was always a gentleman and never let any of it go to his head. He refused to go out with any of the twinkies that threw themselves at him, instead focusing on his schoolwork and trying to keep his grades up so he could get scholarships for college. He truly was a stand up kid.

On the other hand, I breezed through my classes and kept mostly to myself. Sure I went to football and soccer games to cheer the boys on, but it was mostly due to the fact that Alice would drag me everywhere with her and that's where she happened to be. Every weekend she tried to get me to wear school colors and paint my face, and every weekend I'd bitch and moan to get out of it. I bargained with her that if she let me hide in the background for a while, then I'd do whatever she wanted for homecoming weekend. Her eyes lit up when I said that and I knew I would regret ever giving her that control.

Carlisle kept his promise that Emmett and I would have to get jobs. It really wasn't so bad, though. I was able to get a job at the clothing store Alice worked at, and Emmett started working at the sports equipment store where Edward worked. Of course, Jake followed us to the stores and stalked the premises until our shifts were over, but it was better than working with greasy, over-cooked, grey meat all day.

Our eighteenth birthdays were fantastic! I always hated September thirteenth after our parents died, not because I didn't want presents, but because the stuff we got was crap. The foster families would get us things like a brand name can of soda or a pair of used socks. On our fourteenth birthdays, DFS showed up at the door and shipped us off to another family. We didn't get anything but a horrible new foster family that year… and it sucked. But this year… this year was totally, freaking awesome!

Emmett woke me up by knocking quietly on my door. We exchanged our gifts, a card and gift certificate for Emmett, and a card and shirt for me that said, "Without Me, It's Just Aweso." I chuckled a little and he gave me his biggest, dimply grin. He was such a goof, but he made me smile.

We headed downstairs together and the house was eerily quiet. All the lights were still off, but it was after nine o'clock so I knew everyone would already be awake. I gave Emmett an anxious look and he just shrugged and walked straight for the kitchen. As soon as we rounded the corner, the lights flipped on and Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Edward jumped out from behind the island counter and yelled, "Surprise!" I screamed and fell backwards, plopping on my ass. Emmett yelped but quickly started laughing… at me. Alice ran over and helped me off the floor, apologizing since the surprise was her idea. After collecting myself and letting my heart rate return to normal, I looked around the room. There were cupcakes everywhere. They were decorated beautifully and it looked like there were about four different flavors.

"Edward made cupcakes!" Alice squealed. "They're the best ever!"

Edward blushed and slightly smiled. "Well, they're not that good, Alice. It's just a simple cupcake."

"Oh, shut it, Edward. You know they're amazing. You just don't want Bella to know you can cook."

Alice stuck her tongue out at Edward then gave me a blinding smile.

Esme made us breakfast. She said we could have whatever we wanted, so I requested French toast and Emmett wanted omelets. After breakfast we all went into the living room and they gave us our presents. I really wasn't expecting anything. That's why Emmett and I opened our gifts upstairs, but what they gave us blew me away.

We both had small, rectangular boxes wrapped perfectly in our hands. Opening them at the same time, we looked at each other in confusion. There was no way this was happening. In our hands we both had iPhones.

"We programmed them for you already," Alice chimed in, bouncing in her seat. "They have tons of apps and music already downloaded, but open the box and see what else is inside."

Emmett and I were stunned. I was so afraid I would drop it and break it from how badly I was shaking. We slowly opened our boxes and sitting inside were the iPhones and fifty dollars worth of credits toward the iTunes store.

I couldn't handle it anymore and I started crying. Emmett was still staring in his box, dumbfounded.

"Oh, Bella," Esme said and sat down beside me on the couch and gave me a hug. "We didn't want to make you cry. Carlisle and I thought that since you both have jobs now it would be nice to give you presents that would help keep you in touch. Alice and Edward have their phones, too, so you'll all be able to stay connected with us in case of emergencies."

"But it's meant to be for fun, too," stated Carlisle. "That's why we got you the iTunes gift."

I sniffled and wiped my eyes. "Thank you so much. Emmett and I will pay you back, promise."

"Bella," Carlisle chided. "These are gifts. You don't need to pay us back. We wanted to do this for you. It's your birthday and we thought this would be something practical and enjoyable."

I looked over at Carlisle and Edward. They were both staring at us in confusion. It wasn't like we didn't like the gifts; we just didn't know how to accept something so extravagant.

"We are extremely grateful for the gifts, Carlisle and Esme," Emmett finally spoke. "We've just never gotten anything remotely close to this awesome before from our other foster families. I think we're just very surprised."

"That's understandable, but unfortunate," mused Carlisle. "You're both our children now, and we will treat you as such. And that means buying you nice things every once in a while, even if the gift is really meant to help us keep tabs on you."

Everyone laughed and we went back into the kitchen to eat our cupcakes. Edward truly outdid himself. There were lemony poppyseed, red velvet, spicy chocolate, and strawberry mouse-filled vanilla cupcakes. They were decadent. I couldn't believe it, but I managed to scarf down one of each kind and was debating another. This was the best birthday we'd had in a long time.

/~/+/~/

Emmett and I had our first several sessions with Dr. Whitlock and I felt like we were making some really good progress. Whatever he did was working. I hadn't had any more nightmares in over a month and only a few flashbacks, but no fainting. I would begin to actually feel comfortable, and then I'd remind myself that _he_ was still out there and freak the fuck out again. I still wasn't able to fully let my guard down, but I didn't expect that in the first place.

Homecoming weekend was fast approaching, and that bitch had a mind of its own. The closer we got, the crazier Alice acted and the more distant Edward became. I don't know why, but I really expected Edward to ask me, but he never mentioned anything about the dance and I was getting frustrated. Alice assured me he just needed time, but homecoming was in two weeks and if he didn't ask me soon, I wouldn't have a dress.

It wasn't like he was the only guy vying for my attention either. There was this super hot guy, Riley, in our Calculus class that sat in front of me and always turned around to chat before the teacher walked in the room. He was a transfer student and it was his first year at Forks High, so we sort of bonded. He was kind of weird though, the way he studied my face or the way he leaned in too close when he talked. Slightly odd, but in a cute, quirky kind of way.

When I talked to him I could tell it really pissed Edward off, but I felt like it would put a fire under his ass to finally ask me to the dance. I was contemplating going with Riley instead since he asked me two weeks ago, but I was still holding out hope that Edward would grow a pair.

"You know, Alice," I started one day at lunch, "I just don't think he really wants to go with me. I'm seriously thinking about telling Riley I'll just go with him."

"Bella, you're just not used to Edward like I am," she replied. "Give him until tomorrow and then I'll kick his ass for you if he doesn't step it up. And I'm not entirely sure that Riley guy doesn't bat for the home team."

We chuckled as Edward, Emmett, Jake, and Jasper took their places at our usual table.

"What are you two laughing about?" Emmett chimed in as he shoved an entire piece of pizza in his mouth.

"We were just talking about homecoming," Alice said, winking at Edward.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and suddenly he was very interested in his plate of mush.

"Yeah, that's going to be an awesome game!" shouted Emmett. "We're gonna beat the shit outta those preppy bastards at Villa Academy."

Jake and Emmett fist bumped and Jasper and Edward just shook their heads.

"So, Bella," Alice began, "I was thinking we could go get dresses after school today. There's this really cute store in Port Angeles that I want us to look at. What do you think?"

"Uh, you know I have to go with you two, right?" Jake interjected.

"Yeah, we know," I said. "But that's fine. You can give us some pointers!"

Alice and I both feigned excitement and Edward looked like he was going to rip off Jake's arms and beat him with them.

The rest of lunch was tense. Edward was being a pouty mess, glaring at Jake from across the table. Jake and Emmett were lost in talk about the homecoming game, and Jasper kept trying to calm Edward down while winking at Alice every few minutes and making her swoon. Between her moments of swooning, Alice and I chatted about what types of dresses we wanted and how we were going to wear our hair.

When the lunch bell rang, I got up and tossed my trash before walking to Psychology class.

"Um, Bella."

I turned around quickly and almost smacked right into Edward. "Whoa. Hey there smarty pants. Tail-gaiting today, huh? What's going on?" I asked.

"Well, I was just… Um, I mean," Edward stuttered and wouldn't meet my gaze. He was nervously running his hand through his hair so hard I was worried he was going to pull some out.

"Be careful there, stud, or you'll go prematurely bald."

I craned my head so I could see his face better and he was blushing. I thought I saw some sweat beads forming on his hairline and I smiled. He weakly smiled back and started chewing on his bottom lip. He finally looked into my eyes and I saw how nervous he truly was.

I was beginning to worry, so I asked him, "Come on, Edward. What's wrong?"

I reached up and brushed some hair off his forehead and he sighed, taking in a huge breath.

"Willyougotothedancewithme?" He blurted out and stared at his shoes.

"What? I can barely hear you." I really knew what he said but I had to make him say it again. I was so excited!

"Um, will you go to the dance with me, Bella?"

This time the sentence was very understandable, but he still wouldn't look at my face. I was ecstatic! I literally jumped at him, hoping he would catch me and yelled, "Hell yes! I'll go to the dance with you!"

He caught me midair, hands gripping my ass tightly, my legs wrapped around his waist interlocked at the ankles. I grabbed his face in my hands and he smiled up at me. His eyes sparkled with happiness and I planted the biggest, sloppiest kiss right on his mouth. I half forgot about the hall full of students until I heard their comments.

"Nice!"

"Lucky."

"Score!"

"What a hooker."

"Get a fucking room, Cullen."

The last one was Jasper and I started to laugh. Just as I pulled back from the kiss I felt a tap on my shoulder. _Oh shit!_

"Ahem, Mr. Cullen… Ms. Swan?" Principal Rockwell cleared his throat and I slowly untangled myself from Edward.

Once my feet were firmly on the ground, I turned around and stared at the floor, facing the principal and blushing furiously.

"Mr. Rockwell, I can explain," started Edward.

"I would love to hear what you have to say Edward. If you'll both please follow me to my office."

The following conversation could have gone better. Even though Edward tried very eloquently to get us out of trouble, we both got detentions and almost got banned from the dance. We finagled our way out of community service, but then Mr. Rockwell called Carlisle and that changed in a heartbeat.

Carlisle insisted we would be reprimanded after returning home and he wasn't lying. On top of working our regular jobs, and being expected to keep up with our school work, we had to volunteer at the hospital for two weeks.

_Great. Stinky, wrinkly old people creep me out. I just hope I don't have to wipe any butts._

After my little stunt in the hall, half the girls in the school envied me and the other half wanted to watch me burn alive then piss on the ashes. Edward thought it was hilarious. Whenever a girl would make a comment or glare in our general direction, he'd simply put his arm around my shoulder and I felt like I was on top of the world.

The dirty looks and snide comments to my face were easy to handle. I just shot it right back at them and it usually set them in their places. It was the rumors and the talking behind my back that were really disturbing me. I never did anything to those hoochies and they were ruining my Edward induced buzz. But every time it started bothering me, I'd just remind myself Edward chose me and all those other twats could suck it.

_He's mine bitches, so back the fuck off!_

The next two weeks went by at a snail's pace. I think Carlisle purposefully stopped time when Edward and I were volunteering to prove a point. Dealing with old people for four hours stretches was sucking the life out of me. All I wanted was to get the hell out of the hospital the moment I stepped foot through the door. It smelled like stale urine and the floors were always sticky. No wonder all the old people went insane. Being around that stench all day must rot their brains.

Because of all the time we spent entertaining the decrepit population of Forks, Edward and I never really had any alone time outside of school. That didn't bode well for my raging hormones and I was getting a little more than antsy to have some make-out time again. I was hoping we could change that at homecoming.

The day of the dance was finally here and Alice insisted on taking the entire day to primp and make sure we looked spectacular for our boys. She even went as far as holding me hostage in her room so Edward wouldn't see me until it was time to leave for dinner.

"Alice, I really don't think that's necessary," I complained. "It's not like it's our wedding day."

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella. Jasper won't be seeing me either, so Edward will just have to wait, too."

"But what if I have to pee. I mean, I'll have to walk into the hall to get there and what if Edward happens to be walking down the stairs. You can't expect me to hold it all day."

I was proud of myself for this little argument, and I thought it was fairly sound. Alice, however, was the queen of evasiveness and shot me down in one fell swoop.

"I'll be the look out," she countered. "I'll make sure the coast is clear and then you can make a break for it. Besides, I think the suspense is the best part!"

She was getting extra giddy at this point and started bouncing on her bed and clapping her hands. I couldn't win when it came to her. Alice was the master of making me bend to her will.

We spent most of the morning relaxing and talking. At one o'clock, Jake picked us up and took us to _Tres Chic_. Alice swore they had the best stylists around and she claimed she had our appointments made three months in advance. When I reminded her I wasn't here three months ago, she just laughed and shook her head. _Oh right, super-psychic-midget-senses._

After every hair on my head was plastered in place, we headed back home, got dressed, and put on makeup before we left for dinner. When Jasper arrived at the house, Alice finally gave the okay to be seen by the boys. We walked down the stairs and they were waiting for us at the bottom. Jasper smiled wide and walked straight over to Alice and took her hand. Edward blushed and ran his hand through his hair before blinding me with my favorite crooked smile. He took my hand as well and we started for the door, but Esme wasn't ready for us to leave yet. She corralled us all together and took about fifty pictures of us all standing in various positions and poses. It was thoroughly embarrassing but fun nonetheless.

Emmett decided he'd go solo and hang out with everyone. He disappointed a lot of the girls at school, but he told me he just wanted to have fun without having strings attached. I also thought Jake would be going alone, but he surprised us all when he showed up with a tall, beautiful stranger. He introduced Leah and told us she was another agent that would be helping him monitor the dance tonight. Jake also informed us that other agents would be joining us later to secure the premises and add extra eyes for safety.

_Ah, yes. Must protect the poor, helpless Swan kids. Yay._

Dinner was delicious, and we raced to the dance, super excited about having some fun for once. When we arrived, the other agents met us at the car for a debriefing. All these guys were huge! Paul, Jared, Embry, Quil, and Seth talked with Jake and Leah about the plan for the evening. We were all warned that if anything suspicious happened, one of them was to be immediately informed. I was just wondering if they would really all pass as high school students.

The dance was loud, but that's the nature of the beast. Jasper, Emmett, and Edward were having a blast just goofing off. Alice and I would cut in when a slow song came on and steal our dates from further humiliation.

Half way through one of my dances with Edward I felt someone behind me. It was creeping me out, so I lifted my head off Edward's shoulder and turned to look. Riley was standing right behind us, staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I turned to look back at Edward and I think I heard him growl.

"May I cut in?" Riley questioned.

I stared at Edward and he glared straight at Riley, gripping my waist tightly.

"Edward, you're hurting me," I whispered and gently pushed on his chest.

His eyes shot open and a look of panic flitted across his face. He loosened his hold immediately and brought his hands up to cradle my face. Pulling me closer, he kissed me passionately. His lips were indescribably soft and I felt his tongue sweep across my bottom lip. I thought I would pass out until I heard Riley clear his throat behind us.

Edward reluctantly stopped the kiss with a huff and glared at Riley again.

"I'll let you have the rest of this song, dickhead," spat Edward, getting in his face. "But if I notice anything funny, I'll have your balls in a vice. Are we clear?"

_Hot damn! Angry Edward is back with a vengeance and he's smokin'!_

Riley put up his hands in a show of surrender and Edward slowly stepped out of his way. Edward walked over to the side of dance floor and crossed him arms while he stared at us from across the room. The moment Edward was out of ear shot, Riley leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"Is he always that pissy?"

"No," I replied indignantly, backing away. "He's a very nice person. You were the one that ruined _his_ night. Are you always a prick?"

Riley smiled but his eyes narrowed. I could tell he was planning something but I wasn't sure what. He was really getting on my nerves, but the song was almost over so I decided to wait it out.

"Whoa, don't get your panties in a bunch. I was simply making an observation. Sorry." He paused his half apology and glanced around. Leaning in again he breathed, "You know, Bella. I can make this night a whole lot more exciting for you. Why don't you drop that sad excuse for a boyfriend and follow me."

I shivered. "Actually, Riley, this dance is over."

I started to pull away but Riley clasped his arms around me and I was locked, pressed up to his cold body. I squirmed and pushed against him, looking for Edward or any of the agents, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Don't fight it. We're leaving. Now."

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**A/N: Dun, dun, dun! Some crazy shit going on at Homecoming. Please leave me some love, or hate, with a review. Thoughts/concerns/questions are always greatly appreciated! EPOV up next.**

**If there was anything left out in this chapter you wish to see in future chapters, please let me know and I will see what I can do. I aim to please, but I can't promise anything!**

**Also, I know Bella has made some transformations throughout this story, personality wise. She was snarky at first, then timid with the Cullen's, now she's regaining some of her confidence. I very much intended this. If you notice, her moods change with her psychological well-being. If you have questions about this, I am more than happy to discuss. Just review or PM me or post on the Twilighted forum. I'll answer questions/concerns as long as they don't give away future plot twists.**

**Rec' time: An awesome story I picked up on is _Cambion_ by Thaigher Lillie. It's EXTREME Darkward. He's a succubus that's trying to build an army of his own hybrids to take over the Volturi, but has only produced female offspring so far. He won't stop until he finds the one human who is strong enough to carry his son. If Darkward freaks you out at all, this is not the story for you. But it's so freaking awesome if you like that sort of thing. He's super bad and the story is oh so good! Let her know I sent you when you review! ;)**


	15. Escaped

**A/N: Hello my lovely readers! This update is a shorter one, but I know you all understand. You're all fantastic, wonderful, awesome people! Thanks for all the reviews, alerts, favorites! They're better than an Edward cupcake!**

**Thanks to my betas, twifan82 and SovereignVision for helping me out and making this awesome.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. My husband now owns a side-job working for the creator of Twilighted. Hahaha! He got roped into the Twilight world and he didn't even know it! ©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*EPOV*~*

_That stupid knucklefucker!_

I hated Riley the moment I met him on the first day of classes, but I hated him with a deadly passion when he cut in on my dance with Bella. I wasn't going to let him dance with her when he first asked, but I didn't want to be a douche so I let him have the rest of the song.

After threatening his testicular well-being, I stalked to the side of the dance floor and didn't take my eyes off of them. I saw Riley lean in and Bella push away and I almost started feeling relaxed… almost. Then Leah came up to me and caught me off guard, asking if everything was all right and wanting an update about anything out of the ordinary.

I took one last glance at Riley and Bella and turned my attention to Leah. I never should have let my guard down. It was only for a minute but by the time I turned back, I couldn't see either of them anymore.

Frantically, I pushed through the crowd searching for Bella. I was hoping she ditched Riley and walked to the bathroom or went looking for Alice. The music changed to an upbeat pop song, but not before I heard a stifled scream to my left. The hair on the back of my neck was standing up and I knew something was wrong. I heard a scuffle near the back door of the gym and saw Jake flying through the exit with Embry and Quil on his heels.

Turning on the spot, I raced toward the back of the gym, hoping Bella was okay and that Riley was getting the ever-living shit beat out him. When I got to the door, Bella was in a heap on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably with Alice, Jasper, and Emmett kneeling by her side. Seth stood close by talking into an ear piece.

Tires screeched in the parking lot and Emmett jumped up, busting through the back doors with me trailing him. A car was flying through the lot and Riley was hanging out of the passenger side window, facing backwards, shooting at Jake's Hummer.

The red Hummer sped after Riley and his getaway vehicle. Embry leaned out of the back window and was firing right back at Riley. In three shots, Riley was disabled with what looked like a shot to his shoulder. His gun fell to the ground and he gripped his arm, screaming in pain while retreating into the car.

Quil was now standing through the sun-roof and was shooting at Riley's driver. The first car swerved and nearly missed another vehicle while peeling out of the parking lot, Jake's Hummer in pursuit.

I turned and looked at Emmett. His hands were clenched at his sides and he was shaking. His entire face was beet red, and I think steam was trying to burst through his ears. I knew he wanted to run after them because I did, too, but there was no way in hell we were going to be able to escape the other agents.

Tapping his shoulder, I held my breath and waited. He slowly turned around and headed back inside. I followed his lead and did a double take when I stepped through the doors. The inside of the gym was bright and the music was no longer blaring from the speakers. Students were being filed out of the side of the gym and taken to a separate area for questioning. Bella still wept in the same spot where we left her, and Alice and Japser were still at her side.

"Alice, did you see what happened?" I questioned hastily.

"Not at first." She looked at Bella who slowly nodded and Emmett took Alice's place as she stood up to talk with me. She started speaking at rapid speed. "I saw Riley cut in on your dance and felt a chill go up my spine. Why did you let him dance with her, you ass? Ugh, what's done is done. But I knew something wasn't right, so I found Leah and told her to get you and meet us over by this door. Then I found Jake and Seth and warned them I had a bad feeling and they communicated with the others to guard all the exits. They were all watching for Bella and then we heard her scream and saw Riley put his hand over her mouth while she kicked and tried to get out of his grasp. Jake called for Embry and Quil, and Seth jumped at Riley before he knew what was happening and pulled Bella out of his arms. He flung her at me and Jasper and that's when Emmett came over. He launched at Riley and tackled him, but that's when I looked away because Bella started shaking."

I blinked a few times, trying my best to process the whirlwind of information she threw at me and realized I needed Emmett's recollection after that.

"Emmett, you tackled him? How'd he get away?"

"I don't fucking know!" Emmett screamed and jumped up, rubbing his face. "I had him around the waist and then he kicked me in the balls. I must have loosened my grip slightly and that was all he needed. Jake dove in to take over but he did some crazy moves and was out the door before we knew it. I wanted to go after him but Bella asked me to stay, so I did."

Emmett's voice broke at the end and his shoulders shook with his sobs. He sat back down next to Bella and she put her arm around his shoulder while they both cried.

Jasper walked over to me and patted my shoulder. "Listen, Edward. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't blame yourself. None of us knew what kind of a sick freak Riley was."

Was I blaming myself? I was so pissed off at everything in the moment that I'd hardly had a chance to recognize who I was mad at most. But Jasper was right. I was the most frustrated with myself for handing Bella over to Riley in the first place. Why did I ever think that would have been a good idea? Riley could have really hurt her. Thankfully the agents were here and Alice had the sense to get them involved otherwise I don't what would have happened. I would have never forgiven myself if Bella was hurt, or lost… or dead.

I shivered at the thought and slumped down to the floor. No matter what Jasper said this entire situation was my fault. None of it would have happened if I hadn't been such a pussy.

"Seriously, Edward, knock it off," Jasper interrupted, sitting next to me on the floor. "I have a feeling Riley would have found another way to get Bella away from you. If it wasn't then, it could have been when she went to the bathroom or got a drink. Who knows? But there's no use beating yourself up over it. She's safe, right here, and you're being an ass-monkey. So stop brooding and comfort her."

He was right and I hated to admit it. I kind of wanted to punch him in the face, too, for being right all the time. It was getting annoying, but I restrained myself and scooted over to Bella and Emmett.

Their crying subsided and they were whispering to each other. Bella noticed me hesitantly scooting over and weakly smiled at me.

"Hey," I said quietly, hoping I wasn't intruding.

"Hey. Jasper's right, you know." Bella sighed and sat up, pulling her knees to her chest.

"I know, but that doesn't make me any less sorry."

"Well, you can't freak out over something you have no control over, so please stop feeling sorry. You didn't do anything wrong and I'm not mad at you in the least."

Bella gave Emmett a pat on the back and he got up to start talking with Seth and Leah. I wanted to sit closer to her and hold her in my arms, but I wasn't sure if she wanted me right now. Then she looked at me pleadingly and tapped the floor next to her with her hand. _Well, that answers that question._

I slid closer to her and knocked her with my shoulder when I was close enough. Bella leaned into me and somehow wiggled herself into my arms. She started sobbing into my chest without warning and I held her tighter.

"Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry," I whispered into her hair. "Please don't cry. You're safe now. He's gone and I doubt he'll be coming back to bother you again."

"That's not true, Edward and you know it!" Bella lifted her head and stared into my eyes.

"What's not true?" Man, I was confused.

She furiously wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood up, leaving me cold and wanting on the floor.

"I'm not safe. I'll never be safe. Don't you get it? That sick fuck is still out there and he's messing with my head. All the agents in the world won't keep him away. He's just going to keep coming back into my life until I'm dead!"

She broke down again and I jumped up to catch her before she crashed to the floor. I didn't know what to say, so I simply let Bella cry into my chest, hoping she would be comforted by my presence.

This had to be the worst homecoming in the history of the world. Bella and Emmett thought they were going to have a fun night with their friends but ended up fighting for their lives again. And I hadn't experienced any headaches for a couple weeks, but I felt one starting now. I rolled my neck, rubbing it with my hand, willing the ache to go away. This night needed to end, but I knew we would all be questioned before we could leave. _ So much for a sense of safety and security._

Sirens blared in the parking lot as the Forks police finally made their appearance. _Took them long enough._ Seth peeked through the back door and said the officers found Riley's gun, and Jared and Paul were searching for dropped shells.

Just then, Mom and Dad were escorted into the gym by Detectives Aro and Marcus. I ran my fingers through Bella's hair and whispered they were here and she turned her face to see for herself. She called for Emmett and he quickly came to her side with Seth and Leah in tow. Alice and Jasper continued to talk hurriedly behind us, but joined our group. Alice rubbed Bella's back and helped calm her even further.

Mom bolted straight for us and kissed each of us on the forehead before pulling us in for a hug. Even Seth and Leah couldn't escape her. I was still holding Bella tightly to my chest and Mom hugged us both at the same time, wiping tears from Bella's cheeks and smiling warmly at her.

"Excuse me, Aro," Dad stopped their conversation and came up to give us all hugs as well. I hoped Bella felt all the love around her and knew that we truly would keep her safe.

Dad gathered us closer and spoke quietly. "Detective Aro is here for questioning. I've arranged it so you'll each be questioned in twos or threes by either Aro or Marcus and one of the agents. This way you'll only have to be questioned once and no one will be singled out."

We all nodded in agreement. That would definitely make this situation more comfortable. But I didn't think anyone truly knew what Riley was up to besides Bella, so I wasn't sure what information they were hoping to obtain.

"Isabella and Edward," Detective Aro said as he beamed at me with a fake smile. "You will be coming with me along with Agent Leah. Detective Marcus and Agent Seth will be questioning Alice, Jasper, and Emmett."

That was unexpected. I would have thought Bella would be questioned with Emmett, but I wasn't complaining. I couldn't wait to hear her side of the story.

Bella looked over at Emmett who winked and told her everything would be fine. Then he turned to me and nodded, saying he trusted me to protect her. Bella relaxed into me and we followed Aro to the Principal's office.

Leah and Aro sat directly across from us at Mr. Rockwell's desk. Leah seemed relaxed but she kept looking at Aro like he reeked of bad cologne. Aro kept up his façade of pleasantries though I knew it was only a matter of time before one of us said or did something that would throw him off his game. I had to hand it to him, though. I don't think anyone could rock that stache the way he did. _Yeah right._

"Edward," started Aro. "Would you please tell us your version of the evening's events?"

"Well," I shifted in my seat so I could reach Bella's hand and I gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I was dancing with Bella and Riley asked to cut in. I allowed him the rest of the song and left them on the dance floor while I stood off to the side, watching them. Then Agent Leah approached me and I turned my attention to her. She asked me if I thought anything weird was going on and I told her just that Riley was pissing me off because he interrupted our dance."

Leah nodded when Aro looked to her for confirmation and I continued.

"She told me she wanted me to go get Bella and meet her by the back entrance. She wasn't clear why, but I agreed. When I glanced back to where Riley and Bella had been dancing, I couldn't see them. I panicked and started pushing through the crowd. I heard a faint, stifled scream and immediately turned to it when I noticed some commotion near the door where Leah told me to meet. Then the door flew open and Riley raced out of it with Jake, Embry, and Quil chasing him.

"I ran to the door and noticed Bella crying on the floor with Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Seth at her side. Then tires screeched in the parking lot and Emmett and I pushed through the door just in time to see Riley fleeing the scene with Jake and the others in pursuit. Then the other agents showed up and we went back inside."

Detective Aro looked me over with a cold expression on his face. He was trying to see if I was lying, but there was no indication anywhere on my body that what I just said was anything but the truth. He must have been appeased with my lack of reaction and he turned to Bella.

"Isabella, my dear," Aro smirked. "Can you tell us what happened after Edward left you and Riley to dance?"

It was Bella's turn to squeeze my hand. She even pushed on my knee with our intertwined hands so my leg would stop bouncing. I hadn't even realized I was moving.

"Riley called Edward a few names and told me that I should ditch Edward and go out with him instead. I believe his exact words were, ' Why don't you drop that sad excuse for a boyfriend and follow me.' After he said that, I told him the dance was over and I started pulling away. Then he gripped his arms around my waist and I couldn't move. I started kicking and punching him and he tightened his grip, lifting me off the floor. He started moving toward the back of the gym and he told me we were leaving. He never said where we were going, but he kept mumbling and it was hard for me to make out what he was saying. It sounded like, 'It's time,' but I'm not sure."

_It's time_… time for what? Riley was hiding something and I had a terrible feeling it was somehow connected to James. This was bad.

"I screamed once but he shifted and placed his hand over my mouth," Bella shivered. "I kept trying to scream but it was useless. When we got closer to the door, we could see Seth, Jake, Alice, and Jasper. Riley hesitated then picked up speed and raced for the door. Seth caught him off guard and managed to rip me out of Riley's grasp. I'm not even sure how he did it, but the next thing I knew I was in Alice's arms and I was shaking. After that, everything is a blur because I started crying so badly."

Leah smiled at Bella and started getting up from her chair. Detective Aro had other plans and glared at her until she sat back down.

"Did either of you ever have any reason to fear Riley?" Aro asked.

We both shook our heads. Riley was odd but nothing that would set off any alarms. Just an awkward teenager like everyone else.

"Did Riley make previous advances toward you, Isabella?"

"Yes, but he just asked me to the dance. He was nice enough otherwise." Bella looked just as confused as I felt.

"Edward, did this make you upset with Riley? Did you feel like you had to take revenge for his advances on your girlfriend?"

"What? No! That's ridiculous," I responded, completely dumbfounded.

"I hate to intrude on your fine questioning techniques, Detective Aro," Leah cut in. "But what the hell does this have to do with tonight? I think they've been through enough. They both told you their accounts of the evening and from what I observed, they're both right on track. So, I suggest we suspend this discussion and let them go home."

Detective Aro was fuming. His cheeks were getting red and he was staring daggers at her. Leah stared straight back without ever flinching. She gave good bitch brow, that's for sure.

"All right," said Leah. "We're finished here. I'll walk you back to your parents."

We left Aro seething in his seat in the Principal's office. I was thankful Leah had the guts to get us out of there in one piece. I had no idea where his questioning was headed, but it seemed like he was trying to pin the entire situation on us.

Detective Marcus and Seth walked back into the gym with Alice, Jasper, and Emmett right after Leah passed us off to Mom and Dad. Emmett and Bella grabbed each other for a hug and smiled at each other. They both looked relieved to know the other was okay.

Dad spoke with the agents and Seth decided he would follow us home and secure the house before we stepped inside. Leah was in the process of contacting Jake, and she promised she'd let us know when she found out anything. Dad also talked to Detectve Aro and tried to get further information from him about Riley, but Aro wasn't budging. He kept stating the information was confidential and he couldn't share anything with us.

_I call bullshit!_

After gathering our belongings, we walked to the front doors. Right before we stepped through them to leave, Leah yelled for us to wait up.

"We've been keeping an eye on Aro for a while now," she whispered. "Don't trust much of what he says. I'll figure out what 'special information' he has that we don't and I'll call you in to debrief."

She paused and took a deep breath. "And I just heard back from Quil. He said Embry was able to wound Riley in the lot," she stopped and nodded at Emmett and me, knowing we saw most of the altercation. "Quil got some good shots off and blew the back tires before they hit the freeway. That must have scared Riley's driver because they turned off on a side road instead of taking the 101 and started driving towards the coast. They chased after them as far as Rialto Beach and that's when Riley's car plummeted off a cliff into the ocean."

Mom gasped behind us and we all held our breaths waiting for Leah to continue.

"Jake was able to stop the Hummer before it went over, too. But," Leah sighed, "Jake bolted out of the car and decided it was a good time for cliff diving. Embry and Quil haven't heard from him since."

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**A/N: Uh oh! Did Riley and his accomplice get away? Did Jake survive the jump? Any thoughts? Please bear with me as the plot thickens. Leave me some love… or hate.**

**Next update may take two weeks. I'm sorry in advance, but I'll try my best to get it up sooner than that.**

**Rec time: _War of the Roses_ by EdwardandBellabelong2gether. This story is not for everyone since Edward is a cheater. But it's very powerfully written and the author promises an HEA after all the angst. Here is the story synopsis: What do you do when you find out the one person who should never betray you...has? When Edward & Bella have trouble conceiving and he turns to someone else for comfort...will she ever be able to forgive him? AH Canon couples. **


	16. Unbelievable

**A/N: Hello, my lovelies! Thank you all so much for being patient with me. You make me so happy that the hubs thinks I've lost my mind. So keep up the awesome work!**

**Warning: Small lemon and boobgasm at the end of this chappie. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own a new baby in my belly that is giving my some wicked nausea. Thank goodness for Sprite and Triscuits. They are my new friends. ****©2010twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

Stunned. Angry. Worried. Emotions engulfed us in a thick, stifling cloud. No one knew what to say. We all stood there staring at Leah, waiting for her to say "gotcha," but she just stared right back. Silently, Seth and Leah walked us out to our cars and escorted us back home. They both stayed the night and took turns scanning the perimeters of the house for anything suspicious. Before wishing us good night, they promised to inform us of news about Jake.

I didn't want to sleep alone so I asked Alice if I could spend the night in her room. Poor Alice even let me keep the lights on all night, and she laid behind me, brushing my hair until I fell asleep.

The next morning we woke from a loud bang in the kitchen. Alice and I ran downstairs and found Emmett standing over Edward, who was laying flat on his back on the floor with broken glass flung around the kitchen. Carlisle and Esme came barreling into the kitchen with Seth flying through the front door at the same time.

"Uuugghhh," Edward moaned as he attempted to get up from the floor.

"Don't move." Carlisle ran to his side and knelt down next to him on the floor, taking his pulse and assessing him for cuts.

Emmett was standing there, motionless, staring down at Edward with a confused look on his face. Carlisle looked up at him and questioned, "Emmett, were you here when he fell? What did you see?"

"Uh… I… He just collapsed," Emmett stuttered. "We were talking while he started making breakfast and when he turned to go to the stove, he wobbled and hit the floor. No warning or nothing."

"I'm fine," Edward started and tried getting up again. "I just lost my balance. No big deal, really."

Edward gave Carlisle a look that said "don't you dare say a word" and Carlisle sighed as he helped Edward up from the floor. Esme started cleaning up the glass while she worriedly glanced between Edward and Carlisle. Alice was fidgeting beside me and that started worrying me. Alice didn't fidget… ever, and she looked like she was doing the potty dance.

"Alice," I whispered. "What's going on?"

"Um… nothing, Bella," she replied as she turned to me but kept her eyes on Edward.

_That's crap!_ I screamed in my head. No way this was nothing. This family was hiding something and now I felt betrayed.

Emmett walked past me and I followed him into the living room while Carlisle took Edward upstairs to his office to stitch up a gash on his arm. As they walked up the stairs, Edward glanced down to me and weakly smiled. I smiled back but questioned him with my eyes. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair as he turned the corner, out of my sight.

"Emmett, what the hell?" I asked as I plopped down on the couch.

"I have no idea, Bells. He _did_ look like he just lost his balance and fell." He shrugged his shoulders and sat next to me.

"Oh, come on, Emmett. You saw how everyone was acting in there." I pointed to the kitchen and slumped further down in my seat. "Something's wrong and it's freaking me out. They're hiding something from us. But why? They keep saying we're family to them, so why would they feel they have to hide from us? It just doesn't make any sense, and now I'm starting to feel like they don't trust us."

Emmett huffed and scratched his head, looking between me and the kitchen. "I know. I agree with you. It's just, we're hiding stuff from them, too. You can't have it both ways, Bella. Either we're completely open and honest with them, or we hide things and they hide things, too. I'm sure they trust us and will tell us eventually, but it seems like it's something that's very touchy for them. Just give it time. They've been patient with us, right?"

_Dammit! I hate it when he's right._

I sighed and crossed my arms, receding even further into the couch. Alice came bouncing into the living room and jumped in front of me. She asked for help with breakfast and I smiled as I got up to help her.

What was I thinking? There's no way I could be mad at anyone in this family. They'd accepted us, faults and craziness be damned, and there I was acting like a pouty baby because they had a secret, too. Well, I wasn't going to dwell on their past. I had enough of my own issues to fill my mind right now and I didn't need to worry about theirs, too. _But that wouldn't stop me from asking questions._

During breakfast, Leah got a call and excused herself. We all watched her leave the table, hoping it was news about Jake. When she returned to her seat after about twenty minutes, our hopes were confirmed and she gave us some wonderful news, but added some terrifying information.

"Jake made contact with Embry and Quil around three o'clock this morning," Leah started. "The coast guard started searching for him as soon as Quil saw Jake jump and called. They found him swimming toward the coastline. When they lifted him from the water, Jake was yelling and cursing. He wasn't hurt, thankfully, just slightly hypothermic and apparently on a rampage. He made contact with Embry shortly after boarding the boat and informed them of what happened.

"When Jake jumped, he saw Riley and the driver leap from their car right before it hit the water. After resurfacing himself, Jake tried his best to see where Riley and the driver were, but it was pitch black and the surf was extremely rough, tossing him around like a ragdoll. He fought against the waves as he abandoned his search for Riley and started searching for the car. Luckily, it was still barely afloat and he made his way over to it, searching its contents. What he found shocked us all.

"Jake managed to pull several documents from the glove compartment, but couldn't make it into the trunk before the car sank. After debriefing Embry, Jake called Jared and Paul to set up a search team and find the car, hoping it wasn't already smashed to pieces against the rocks.

"While the coast guard searched for Riley and the driver, Jake stationed himself in one of the boat's compartments and looked over the documents he retrieved from the car. The papers were very water damaged and most of the information was smeared and impossible to decipher. Fortunately, there were a few things that were easily recognizable even with the extensive water damage.

"Four passports were squished against four slimy birth certificates. One passport and birth certificate belonged to Riley, although his last name was changed from Biers to Baunts. Another passport and certificate were made out for Felix Saltos, the driver of the car. The final four documents were made out for Emmett and Bella."

I stiffened and Leah stopped talking, turning to me and Emmett before she continued.

"Your last names were changed from Swan to Baunts and the pictures in the passports were your school photos from last year. The mother and father listed on your birth certificates were James and Victoria Baunts."

Esme gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. I started getting light headed and leaned forward, resting my head on my knees. Emmett excused himself from the table and ran to the kitchen where we all heard him vomit into the sink. He returned to the table looking green and unsteady on his feet. Carlisle stood up and helped him sit back down in his chair, patting his back and resting a hand on mine.

"Riley was trying to kidnap Bella," Leah began, "and he would have come after Emmett eventually, but he wasn't expecting you two to be so heavily guarded. It derailed his plan and he decided to abandon his attempt and make a run for it. Felix was his getaway driver and we fear the trunk of the car held items to restrain both of you."

Leah sighed, "There's one more document Jake found in the glove compartment. It was a hand written letter from James to Riley. It was heavily smeared and difficult to decipher, but part of it was preserved enough to read clearly. James referred to Riley as 'my son' and gave him directions on where to take Bella and Emmett after they were kidnapped. Although most of the directions were sketchy, we believe they would have taken you out of the country to Canada.

"After some research, we confirmed at least one part of the letter. Baunts and Beirs are aliases. James' true last name is Balstaff… and so are Riley's and Felix's. James is Riley's and Felix's biological father. Felix is twenty-three years old and Riley is really nineteen years old. He was impersonating a high school student, much like us, in order to gain access to you two."

Now it was my turn to throw up, but I didn't make it to the kitchen in time.

/~/+/~/

I spent the next week in a fog. I didn't contribute much to my therapy sessions with Dr. Whitlock and I was grateful he was patient with me. He gave me journal homework to do instead of dwelling on my silence during our sessions and that helped me relax and organize my feelings about the bombshells Leah dropped about Riley.

Emmett seemed to handle the information the same as me. Dr. Whitlock gave him journaling homework, too and we ended up working on it together most nights. I think that helped us get over the massive worry of the unknown. But it didn't make us feel any better that our family was in even greater danger than before.

With the new knowledge that several people were after us instead of one, Jake and Leah decided that constant supervision was required even when we were at home. Jake continued to go to school with us every day, but now Leah and Seth would follow behind us and stalk the school premises until we left to go home. Our "bodyguard of one" turned into a twenty-four hour protection detail, and it was getting old… fast. I knew they were only doing their jobs and offering us the best protection ever, but I was feeling stifled. Having someone look after me, watching my every move, monitoring my decisions was really cramping my style.

On the other hand, I truly appreciated everything they were doing for us. Despite the constant supervision, they were quickly becoming our friends. I eventually decided to stop being a heartless, whiny bitch and accept the fact that I needed them. Leah turned out to be a great girl to talk with, and Alice and I had spent a couple nights just chatting and giggling like real teenagers with her while Seth ran the perimeter of the house.

Emmett and Edward seemed to be getting along with Seth and Jake really well, too. They spent a lot of time together at soccer and football practices and even had a couple paintball wars. Unfortunately, Carlisle put a stop to those after a rather rambunctious game ended up with Emmett and Edward blowing out the windows on the garage and barely missing the cars. After that, they decided keeping it to the game room in the basement was a better way to spend their time. Although the air hockey table was a little worse for wear after Edward jumped on it when he was disputing a game winning goal. The poor table never blew the same after that.

After two weeks, I was finally back to talking in full sentences with Dr. Whitlock, and it felt like I was well on my way to living a normal teenage life.

"Good afternoon, Isabella," greeted Dr. Whitlock as I entered his office.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Whitlock."

I walked over to my usual seat… the big comfy couch across from his chair. I sprawled myself lengthwise along the couch, propping my legs on my book bag. Dr. Whitlock always smiled warmly after I was situated and the environment of the office was completely serene. He really knew what he was doing.

"You've made some really great progress over the past two weeks, Isabella," Dr. Whitlock began. "You had a setback but overcame it with flying colors. I'm very impressed. I believe today you're ready to continue where we left off before we were so rudely interrupted."

I gave a half-hearted smile and nodded slightly. Sure I was ready, but it didn't make talking about it any easier.

"All right. Then why don't we begin where your last dream left off. I know this is extremely hard for you and if you need to stop at any time just let me know. As always, I'll stop the session immediately and we'll move at your pace."

I nodded again, closing my eyes and scooting down into the couch. I drew my knees to my chest and hugged them tightly. This was definitely one of the moments where I wished Emmett was there with me. He kept me calm and I moved faster through the sessions. But we hadn't been together with Dr. Whitlock in almost a month. Dr. Whitlock said he wanted us to be individuals and not feel pressured by the other to go quicker than we really wanted to. We agreed with him and decided it was for the better.

So there I was, trying not to freak out and hoping desperately that I wouldn't faint in his office. Taking a slow, deep breath I laid my head on the armrest of the couch and blew it all the way out before starting. "Okay, I'm ready."

I let my mind wander to my last nightmare. It had been almost two months since the last one, but I knew exactly where it left off. That night would be burned into my memory for the rest of my existence and I was more than ready to move past the fear it invoked every time it crossed my mind. Dr. Whitlock assured me that was normal and it may never completely resolve. But he hoped with continuing counseling that I could at least live my life without experiencing terrible flashbacks and horrific nightmares.

"He… James… touched me. I wanted to scream, to run, but I was so worried what would happen if I did that I just let him do it. I'd just seen my father hacked to pieces and I didn't want that to happen to me. I wanted to survive. What else could I do?" Tears stung my eyes as I fought to keep them at bay.

"Survival instinct is an interesting thing, Isabella," Dr. Whitlock jumped in, noticing my discomfort. "Your body and mind were working frantically to keep you alive and what happened to you was not your fault. You were in shock and your body shut down to protect you. You must understand that no matter what, you survived both physically and mentally, and you're a stronger person for what you experienced. Your will to survive and your drive to do whatever it took is what kept you here. Your attacker can never take that will away from you. His crossing of personal boundaries does not make you the bad person. He is the culprit. He is the wrong-doer and no one else is to blame."

I sighed and wiped a tear from my cheek. "I know, and I'm slowly realizing that. I just can't believe I was actually willing to let him go even further if that meant I could've lived for even one more night. The worst part is that I would've disgraced my father living like that… being abused by the man that slaughtered him. How sick is that?"

Tears were freely flowing at this point and I didn't even bother to wipe them away. I heard Dr. Whitlock shift in his chair and he said, "I don't believe that at all. Your father would have wanted you to survive. He never would have expected you to simply surrender. He knew how strong you were and would be very proud to know you did what you could to stay alive. There is nothing sick about trying to survive and doing what you can to accomplish that."

My immediate reaction was to scream "you don't know how my father felt," but the more I thought about it the more I realized he was right. Dad would have expected me to do whatever it took to get out of that situation in one piece. I wasn't a disgrace to him at all. The only person I was disgracing was myself for doubting my ability to survive. I was not damaged goods, I was not weak. I had the strength to survive and I would get past this and be better off in the end.

Unfortunately, I had to get through the rest of _that_ night first, and it was not an easy task.

"Are you ready to continue, Isabella, or do you want to finish our session today?" Dr. Whitlock asked.

"I think I'm still all right," I replied sniffling, finally wiping my face with the sleeve of my shirt. "I was humiliated… him reaching for me and… well, I just kept chanting in my head 'it will all be over soon,' but that wasn't very comforting. I was hoping that someone would help me, someone would find me and take me away from the torture."

I shivered and rubbed my arms, scooting on the couch and bringing my legs underneath me. "I never wanted that person to be Emmett, but I'm so glad he was brave enough to come back for me. I owe him my life… literally."

"Have you told Emmett this?" Dr. Whitlock questioned.

"Yes, hundreds of times. He saved me. He helped me survive and he's the only reason I'm here today. The strength and adrenaline rush he provided on that night was what got us out of there."

"And how do you think that makes him feel?"

"I hope it lets him know how much he means to me." I sighed and looked down at my lap, picking at my shirt. "I think he appreciates it, but he always tells me that even without him I would have survived. He tells me I'm strong and won't let anything get in my way."

"Do you think he's right, Isabella?"

I thought for a minute. Emmett never lied to me and watched out for my well being as long as I can remember. He was always my protector, the person I turned to when things got tough. Did that make me strong? Didn't that mean I was weak because I had to ask him for help?

No… because I could handle my own if I had to. I survived by myself until Emmett got there. He was just my extra boost to get the hell out of there. Apart we were strong, but together we were strongest. Yes, I was able to take care of myself, but it was a bonus that I had someone I could go to when I needed them.

"Yeah, I guess Emmett is right," I started. "He knows I'm capable of kicking ass and taking numbers when I need to. But he also knows when to step in, and that's what makes us a good pair."

"I believe you're absolutely correct," Dr. Whitlock mused. "Emmett has never thought of you as weak, and he lets you do your own thing, so to speak, until he sees you need help."

"He also knows when to back down," I interrupted, smiling to myself. "I've told him to give the 'macho brother role' a rest a few times and he listens. That must be difficult for him, though. Do you think that bothers him when I tell him to knock it off?"

"Well, that's something you'll have to ask Emmett. I can't answer that for him and I shouldn't."

Dr. Whitlock raised his eyebrows and I knew he was right. Patient-doctor confidentiality and all that crap. I was feeling pretty good about this session and I didn't want to ruin it by taking it too far, so I decided this was good place to call it a day.

After leaving the office and driving with Leah back home, I made it a point to talk with Emmett about my session today. We sat in his room and he assured me he wasn't feeling rejected by me. He admitted it was hard for him to relinquish the protector role, but he knew I was capable of asking him for help if I needed it. Emmett wanted me to be independent just as much as he wanted that for himself, so we both agreed that from now on we'd stand back and only step in when the other asked. And he swore he'd lay off giving Edward grief about me, but that was yet to be seen.

/~/+/~/

October was coming to a close and Alice wouldn't stop talking about her friend's Halloween party. Rosalie Hale and her boyfriend Royce King were putting on the biggest party of the year so far and she didn't want me to miss it.

"Oh, Bella. It'll be so much fun!" Alice squealed as we walked through the halls at school, on our way to class. "Rose always had the best sleep-overs when we were little. Now that she goes to Villa Academy we hardly see each other, but she throws the best parties. This year's theme is 'rich and famous through the decades' and I have the perfect outfits picked out for you and Edward."

She clapped her hands and bounced in place when we stopped outside of my classroom.

"Well, that sounds just peachy, Alice," I smiled and shook my head. "I suppose you'll tell me all about it at lunch." She nodded furiously and it was a miracle her head didn't just roll off her neck. "Okay," I giggled. "I'm looking forward to whatever torment you have in store for me."

I turned into the Calculus room and found my seat right next to Edward. Our relationship had really taken off and he kept telling me he had something planned for tonight, but the little twerp wouldn't give me any hints. The only thing he divulged was that we wouldn't need the bodyguards to follow us. That made me even more confused, because the only things we'd ever done involved either Jake or Leah tagging along. We'd been to dinner and movies… the usual teenage stuff, but Edward swore this would be unique. I grumbled and complained all day, hoping I'd wear him down for any clues, but he'd just shake his head and melt me with his crooked smile and I'd cave.

"I guess as long as you're there, it'll be great," I conceded, jumping into the car after school.

"You guess? Well, now I'm really looking forward to our night," Edward joked as he pushed my ass to give me a boost into the Hummer.

"Watch it, Mr. Grabby-hands. You don't want me to send Emmett after you, do you?" I winked and grabbed his book bag so he could climb into the monstrosity of a vehicle.

Edward scooted closest to me in the seat and reached around me to grab my seat belt. He leaned in extremely close and breathed in my ear, "I'll be Mr. Grabby-hands all you want. All you have to do is ask."

He kissed right beneath my ear and I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. I closed my eyes as I felt his lips part and he lightly sucked on the same spot, grazing his teeth over the skin. He pulled away slightly and his tongue darted out, flicking where is mouth just was.

"I know you like it," he whispered and I shivered as his breath washed over the damp skin.

I couldn't seem to form coherent words, so I muttered, "Mmm."

If he wasn't careful, we'd be making a scene in the parking lot at school, but he moved away just in time as the others made their way into the car. Edward had a smug smile across his face the entire way home and every time he glanced at me, I'd blush and shift in my seat.

_He better deliver tonight, or I'll combust!_

We'd had some make out sessions before but nothing ever went past kissing. I think we were both still worried I'd freak out again and neither of us wanted to deal with that. But after my time with Dr. Whitlock I was feeling confident that some light petting would be in order, and I was fully ready to endure that blissful torture. I was secretly wishing tonight would be a good time to move around some bases, and from Edward's little stunt in the car, I was thinking he was on the same page as me.

Alice and I hung out in my room while she helped me get ready for the date. She'd known all the details about the night for the entire week, but never gave me any hints until she started dressing me. She put me in a dark blue, v-neck sweater and some very comfortable skinny jeans, but she didn't give me shoes.

"What about the footwear? You always tell me what shoes go with the outfit," I pouted, hoping she wasn't leaving me to my own devices in the clothing department.

"Oh, don't worry. You won't be needing shoes." She winked and there was a soft knock on the door.

"Alice, are you finished with my date yet?" Edward asked through the door.

"She's all yours, brother dearest." She turned to me and gave me hug. "Have fun!"

"Thanks," I whispered, not having the faintest idea what I was going to have fun doing.

Alice flew out the room, patting Edward on the cheek as she went by. He walked into my room and took my hand, placing a gentle kiss on my fingers.

"You look beautiful, Bella," he crooned and the familiar burning returned to my cheeks.

He explained that since his parents were at a hospital banquet tonight he decided we would stay at home at have dinner there. I was expecting Chinese take-out, but when we walked up to his room he'd obviously taken it ten steps further.

The small table from the kitchen was transplanted into the middle of his room and his bed was pushed to one side. Two candles were lit on the center of the table and our plates were set across from each other. A serving tray sat next to the table and there had to be at least three courses set up.

"Wow, Edward. It looks amazing," I mumured. "This must have taken you forever to set up. When did you do this?"

"Emmett and Jake helped me out," he shrugged, pulling me into the room and taking me to my chair. "They set up the room for me while I finished up dinner."

"Wait, you made the food? I figured you would order out." I sighed and smiled, looking into his jade eyes. "I should have known you could cook a three course meal, with all the fantastic baking you do."

"Actually," he paused, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "It's a four course meal. Dessert is still downstairs, cooling in the fridge."

I tried really hard not to let my jaw hit the floor, but it was too late. He was just too awesome for words.

Edward chuckled at my expression and handed me the first course; smoked duck served with a lemon sauce and sliced pears marinated in a red wine sauce. It smelled heavenly, but the taste was extraordinary. I hummed my way through each bite and debated licking the plate when I was finished.

The second and third courses were no different; fresh, steamed halibut with a creamy red pepper sauce and marinated fillet of lamb served with a creamed herb sauce and vegetables. They almost had me believing I truly was dead. No one should live without tasting Edward's food. I couldn't believe he'd cooked this all by himself, and we still had dessert!

"Where did you learn to cook like this?" I questioned, licking my lips and making sure I didn't let any sauce go to waste.

"Uh, well… that's a long story and I'll have to tell you another time," he winked and got up from his seat, taking our plates and setting them on the serving tray. He turned to me and said, "I'm going to go downstairs and get dessert. If you need to use the restroom it's right across the hall."

I smiled and walked to the bathroom, collecting my thoughts. I didn't think I was in there that long, but apparently it was long enough for Edward's room to be sans table and chairs and his bed to back in the normal place. The lights had also been turned off and candles were lit on his bedside table and desk, leaving a delicious cherry and vanilla scent in the room. I stopped in the doorway, doing a double take and saw Edward sitting on the bed holding a tray with fresh fruit and a bowl of something chocolate.

"I thought we'd have chocolate mousse with fresh berries for dessert. Does that sound okay?"

I walked over to the bed and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. "It sounds wonderful, Edward. This night has been more than I ever imagined. Thank you for making me feel special."

I crawled on the bed and we both sat with our backs against the headboard, our legs outstretched crossed at the ankles. Edward picked up a strawberry and dipped it in the mousse. He reached over like he was going to give me a bite but quickly pulled his arm back and shoved it in his mouth.

"Hey!" I yelled playfully. "I wanted the first bite. You don't play nice."

His eyes grew dark and an evil smile swept across his face. "Whoever said I did?"

My body tingled at his words and what he was insinuating. _Well, two can play at this game, big boy._ I smiled right back and dipped his finger in the mousse. Bringing it to my mouth, I slowly sucked off all the chocolate while closing my eyes and moaning at the taste. When I opened my eyes, Edward was staring unabashedly and swallowed thickly when I released his finger from my mouth with a small pop.

"I think you missed some," Edward whispered and he moved his face closer. As he opened his mouth, I watched his tongue pass through his lips before he licked off the excess mousse from the corner of my mouth.

That was all it took before I reached up and tangled my hands in his hair, pulling his mouth to mine. I let my lips part and darted my tongue out. He tasted like chocolate and strawberries and mint. His tongue danced with mine and I moaned into his mouth. Edward shifted on the bed and brought his hands up on either side of my face. Soon one hand moved to the nape of my neck while the other crept down my arm.

His silky touch was sending sparks all over my body and I rubbed my legs together hoping for some relief. Feeling his hand descending even further, he stopped at my hip and gently squeezed. I broke away from the kiss to breathe and his lips found my chin and the spot he'd teased earlier in the car. Panting and pulling him closer to me, I felt his hand slip down my thigh and circle my knee. He pulled my leg and flipped us so I was laying on top of him.

Surprised by the unexpected position change, I tried to sit up and ground myself into him. Edward was definitely as into it as I was, and we both grunted as we rubbed against the other. The friction was incredible as we rocked our bodies together. He brought his lips back to mine and I noticed his hands were now on my waist, under my shirt. His thumbs caressed my skin and I wiggled my hips encouraging him to continue.

Devastatingly slowly, his hands escaped further under my shirt and stopped short of where I desperately wanted to feel him. I opened my eyes and stared down at him, breaking the kiss again. His eyes were burning with desire and I nodded as I slid my center over his hardness.

Hissing from the sensation, he crashed his lips back to mine and his fingers traced the lace of my bra. I pushed my chest into his hands and he paused at the sudden contact. I groaned from impatience just as his thumbs swept over my peaks and I trembled as heat rushed over my body.

"Mmmm," I moaned and arched into his touch.

"Is this okay?"

"Yes. Please, more," I gasped, willing him to go on.

He slipped his fingers under the lace and freed me from my bra. I felt my nipples harden further in his hands and he pinched and teased them between his fingers. We were both whimpering and panting and I felt my body flush as he pulled and twisted, kneaded and rubbed.

I ground myself harder into his erection and a shot of electricity rocketed from my core out to my limbs.

"Oh god, Edward" I sighed, and moved again hoping for a similar result.

"Ungh," Edward grunted, pushing his hips up in rhythm with my movements.

Massaging, twisting, rubbing, grinding. We moved together, working each other in a tortuous pattern until Edward twisted my peaks and thrust his hips at the same time, sending my body over the edge. He swallowed my cries with his kiss and I felt him shudder underneath me as we rode out our ecstasy.

After coming down from our high, I collapsed on top of him and he gently ran his fingers through my hair.

"That was…" I started.

"I know," Edward finished, rubbing small circles on my lower back.

I sighed contentedly and Edward rolled me on my side, still holding me in his arms. He kissed the top of my head and I thought I heard him whisper something, but I drifted off to sleep happily before I had the chance to ask him what he said.

* * *

**A/N: So Jake survived. Do you think Riley's still out there or was he taken to the depths of the ocean? Bella is doing great with her counseling sessions, thanks to Dr. Whitlock, but is she in the clear or will we have more drama in the future? And Rose is set to make an appearance! We'll see how Emmett reacts when he sees her at the party.**

**Ginormous hugs to all my readers and reviewers! You've helped me surpass the 600 mark on all my sites combined! I'm so thrilled, I'm doing a happy dance! Boobgasms for all!**

**Major thank you's to Thaigher Lillie and EdwardandBellabelong2gether for rec'ing _Witness Protection_ in their stories. You two have made me so happy; words cannot express my gratitude for your love and support. Love you girlies and your stories. Thanks for being awesome!**

**Super mega thanks to my betas, Twifan82 and Sovereignvision for putting up with my time schedule and letting me borrow you for this ride. Love you both! And you can thank Sovereignvision (the hubs) for the inspiration at the end of the chapter. He's a boob man and I'm eternally grateful for his expertise ::wink::**

**Leave me love, my beauties! ;)**


	17. Shocked

**A/N: Hello again my lovely, fantabulous readers! Thank you again for all the smiles and warm fuzzies you give me for favoriting and reviewing. I love you all, hard!**

**Thanks to twifan82 and Soveriegnvision for betaing. You know I'd jump off a cliff for you.**

**Some super neato announcements in my A/N down below!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I just get to dress up the characters for Halloween! ©2010 twicrack83**

* * *

*~*EPOV*~*

_Crapshitfuckdamn!_

I thought the events of homecoming night were bad enough, but the next morning was a shit-fest. I heard Emmett get up and walk to the bathroom, so I decided I may as well join him in the land of the living and make some breakfast for everyone. As I mixed the eggs I started feeling dizzy, but blew it off. I'd been having dizzy spells for about two weeks and they hadn't gotten any worse. I figured this one would just go away like the others.

I was wrong.

I don't even remember turning toward the stove, but when I came to, I was lying on the floor, Emmett standing over me and egg-splattered broken glass smashed around the kitchen. Unfortunately, that wasn't even the worst part. Seeing Bella and Emmett staring at me, utterly confused and watching my family cover up for me was horrible. I felt sick to my stomach for lying and needed to get out of the kitchen fast. The easiest way to escape was to have Dad take me to his office and stitch up my arm.

So I fled the scene… like a coward.

Whether Bella and Emmett knew it or not, I was hiding something, too, and there was no way I was going to fess up until they did some spilling of their own. I had my reasons for keeping my mouth shut, and my parents and sister knew I'd go apeshit if they told anybody _anything_ regarding my secret. They had years of practice keeping it under wraps, so I was fairly confident they would have no problem hiding everything from Bella and Emmett.

The problem was, however, that I _wanted_ Bella to know. I wanted her to know everything about me, but I didn't want the pity party that I knew would come along with my secret. I'd accepted my past. Now it was her turn to accept hers and let others help her get there. And from what I'd seen, Bella had been making phenomenal progress. It was nice to see her opening up and becoming increasingly comfortable with our family. We truly wanted nothing more than for them to feel loved.

After Dad walked me to his office he quickly sat me on the couch and shut the door, locking it behind us. _Uh oh. Not good._ He went to his desk, grabbed his bag, and assembled his supplies in silence. By then, I was a nervous wreck and sucked in as much breath as I could hold, waiting for the attack.

"When were you going to tell me, Edward?"

"There's nothing to tell, Dad," I whispered, staring at the rug on the floor. "Can't we just drop it?"

"No, I don't think so. There's no way I'm letting all the signs go without at least a scan."

"What signs?" I asked playing dumb, hoping he'd give in to my pleading.

"Come on, Edward. You know me better than that." He numbed my arm and started stitching the cut. "I know you've been having more headaches than normal. Mom told me she's bought you three bottles of Motrin in the last two months. That's not right."

"So I've been having headaches." I brushed off his accusation. "This year is really difficult. I'm stressed because I have to keep my grades up to secure my scholarship for college. I'm being pulled in about five different directions and it's getting to me, I guess."

Dad rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I've also noticed the dizziness and the lack of coordination. You've been lounging around more than normal and your skills on the soccer field aren't what they used to be. You could barely take the ball half way down the field last game. Don't think I didn't notice."

This was definitely not going as planned. I was losing this battle and my ship was going to burst into flames any second. "You know as well as anybody that stress causes fatigue. That's why I've been lazy, not from dizziness," I lied through my teeth, trying to save myself. "And the last game was just a fluke. Everyone's allowed one bad night."

"I'd be more prone to agree with that if you were _that_ person, but you've never had a 'bad night' in nine years worth of games." He finished the stitches and cleaned the area with betadine. Huffing, he put his supplies away and sat in his chair behind the desk, leaving me to cower on the couch.

I glared over at him. "Please, Dad. Just let it go. I lost my balance and broke a dish… big deal. I'm fine, I promise. I don't need any more scans. The last one I got in June showed everything was fine… unchanged. Do I really need to be radioactive? Because if I get another scan, I'm afraid I'll go nuclear."

He ran his fingers through his hair and I rubbed the back of my neck with my hand. We both sighed and he started, "I don't like this, Edward. I know we need to do something before it gets worse and your mother almost had a coronary down there this morning. At the rate you're going, you'll be having seizures again by Christmas."

"But the headaches are getting better," I argued. "And you know I'd tell you if I thought something was really wrong. You know I can't go through that again, or make you guys go through it either. It's so… demeaning. Just don't tell Mom, okay?"

I dropped my face into my hands, rubbing my eyes. _Why do I feel like I need to lie?_ I knew Dad was right, but I didn't want to deal with it. I'd get around to it if the symptoms got worse, but now wasn't the time. I needed to make sure Bella was going to recover from the events at the dance, and when she proved she was on the right track then I'd step up and admit I needed to get scanned again.

Dad got up from his chair and walked over to stand directly in front of me. "I'm going to treat you like and adult, Edward. You are eighteen and can legally make your own decisions. But I'm watching you, and if anything else seems out of place I'm taking you in for a check-up. Got it?"

I nodded and shook his hand for emphasis as we left his office to go back downstairs. I would really have to watch myself and make sure I didn't screw up again. I'd have to ration my ibuprofen and make sure I didn't crash on the couch during a dizzy spell. And soccer… well, that would be more difficult. I'd just have to focus and make sure my skills were where they should be. One thing I wasn't sure I had any control over was passing out. I had no idea it would happen this morning, so I had no clue how I'd prevent it from happening again.

But one thing was set in stone… Bella wouldn't find out until I was ready.

/~/+/~/

The next couple of weeks seemed crisis-free. Bella was recovering very well from her near-kidnapping and I only had two headaches and one dizzy spell. My symptoms seemed to be subsiding, which was exactly what I wanted, and Bella wasn't asking any questions about my breakfast incident, which was boding well for my confidence.

Since Bella was doing so well with her counseling and our relationship seemed to be progressing quickly into the "petting zone," I wanted to plan a date that would keep things moving right along. Alice helped me with the major details and Emmett was surprisingly eager to help with the process as well. Although, he did give me a few dirty looks when I mentioned we'd share the chocolate mousse and use our fingers instead of utensils.

The dinner went better than I could've imagined, and dessert was the perfect segue way for the "after dinner activities." I was really apprehensive at first. I'd never done anything like that before. _Hey, don't judge! My mother raised me to be a gentleman._ But I was also worried Bella would go running from my room again.

I took my time and asked permission. The moment was amazing and I didn't want to ruin it by throwing her into another flashback. She felt incredible in my hands. So soft and warm. And then she started grinding against me and I couldn't help but thrust in return. She was making me lose my mind! I was hoping I was doing it right and then she started rubbing harder and moaning louder and we both fell over the edge.

Sure it was a little messy, but there was no way I was letting go of her after what she'd given me. I pulled her closer to my chest and nuzzled my face in her hair. As she snuggled in and relaxed I whispered, "My Bella. My love." She mumbled something I couldn't make out and before I knew it she was asleep in my arms.

Hearing those words pass through my lips wasn't scary in the least. Bella was mine and I would never let her go again, no matter what. No one would ever take her from me. Nothing would ever come between us. I would stand by her and help her through her recovery, never judging. She was mine to protect and love, and I would do that for the rest of my existence.

The next morning I woke when Bella stirred and stole the blankets. I rolled closer to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. Burying my nose in her neck and sweeping her hair back, I kissed her awake.

"Good morning, Bella," I whispered, nudging her cheek when she finally turned to me.

Smiling sleepily she responded, "Hey there, stud." She rubbed her eyes and yawned, looking down at my body now shirtless and wearing only pajama pants. "You changed. I must have really been out. I didn't feel you get up."

She glanced over at the clock, yelped and fell backwards out of the bed, taking the blanket with her. I chuckled and scooted to the side of the bed to make sure she was okay and she jumped up, looking frightened.

"What's wrong? It's nine-fifteen on a Saturday morning. You didn't miss school or anything."

"Well, what about your parents?" She murmured in a forced whisper, looking nervous. "They'll kill me if they find us in here… and you're half naked!"

I laughed and shook my head, running my fingers through my hair. Sitting up on the edge of the bed closest to her, I reached for her and pulled the covers from her grip. "Whenever my parents go to the hospital banquets they get a hotel room for the night." I smiled gently and grabbed her hand, bringing her to me so she was standing between my legs. "They won't be home until noon."

She visibly relaxed, letting out a breath she'd been holding, and I clasped my fingers behind her back, resting my hands on top of her ass. I stood up and kissed her deeply, feeling her sink into me. She moaned into my mouth and I slightly squeezed her butt.

Breaking the kiss, she giggled, "You are Mr. Grabby-hands, aren't you?"

"What can I say? Now that I have your permission, it's hard for me to stop."

"Well, not that I'm complaining or anything, but you better watch it or your parents will kill both of us."

Bella stepped back breaking our connection and started walking to the door.

"Hey, I wasn't done with you yet," I joked, walking behind her and picking her up off the floor. I slung her over my shoulder and smacked her ass as she squealed and pummeled my back. Flinging the door open I stopped dead in my tracks. Emmett.

"Oh… uh, hey man," I choked on my words and felt all the color drain from my face.

"Hey Emmett," Bella chimed in when she stopped wiggling, shifting her body to try and see him.

It was then that I realized my hand was still planted firmly on her ass, keeping her in place. Emmett stared at me, his eyes glancing between my hand and my face.

Bella tapped my back and said, "Okay there, big boy. You can put me down now. We don't want to piss off the Yeti more than we already have."

I quickly set her down, making sure she had her balance before letting go of her and stepping away. Emmett was still glaring at me and Bella broke the silence, waving her hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Emmett. Calm down. He wasn't hurting me. And what are doing up anyway? It's Saturday."

Emmett shook his head, breaking his stare and looked over at Bella. "I heard voices on my way back from the bathroom and wanted to make sure you were all right. I was just about to knock when _Caveward_ here came out of his room with you over his shoulder."

"Well, there's nothing to worry about, so go back to bed," Bella replied. She turned to me and said, "Come on, _Caveward_. Let's make some breakfast."

I shrugged and Emmett shook his head as Bella grabbed my hand and pulled me down the steps. Alice was already in the kitchen, reading a magazine, and she beamed when Bella came into view. They talked and giggled about last night while I made breakfast for everyone. Every once in a while I'd catch them snickering and peeking over at me. I couldn't help but laugh when they knew I'd caught them. They'd blush and quickly turn their heads, hiding their faces.

At least their conversation seemed to be positive. I wasn't so worried anymore about my skills in the "make Bella feel awesome" arena. She really looked and sounded like she'd enjoyed our night.

Breakfast couldn't come fast enough for Emmett. He hovered by the stove until I finally made him go set the table just to get him out of my way. Jake had patrol last night and he joined us at the table when everything was ready. Alice kept up the conversation as usual, talking about her plans for everyone at the Halloween party. Unfortunately, that's all she talked about the rest of the week, too.

I started regretting my decision to allow her to pick out a costume for me this year. It was like I was literally a big dress up doll and almost every night after school I'd be summoned to her room for fittings. Bella was just as lucky as me, and we were both forced to endure Alice and her sewing machine. I had to hand it to Alice, though, for as much as I asked to see what Bella was wearing, she would easily get me off topic and I'd forget I even asked. Toward the end of the week, she just smacked me on the head any time I asked and huffed away, tired of the interrogation.

As amazing as my persuasion skills were, Bella wouldn't tell me either. She stated she was sworn to secrecy by Alice and wasn't going to push it. _Smart girl. I wouldn't want to make Alice mad at me either._

School flew by that week and the Halloween party was a great way to close it out. Saturday morning was lazy and Alice made the final touches to our costumes. By dinner, we were all excited and ready to escape the house for some fun. We scarfed down our food and went to our rooms to change. Alice and Bella changed in one room and Emmett and I went upstairs to get ready on our own.

I should've expected Alice to choose costumes for me and Bella that would match, but it never crossed my mind. I was dressed like Elvis, but not crazy-bedazzled-rhinestone Elvis. I had on a simple white, button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows and the top button undone. I wore a skinny black tie around the collar and a pair of black slacks with black leather shoes. Alice finished my hair and completed the Elvis look by giving me his signature coif. With my transformation complete, I went to the kitchen and waited for the others to finish so we could head out for the party.

After a few minutes Bella met me in the kitchen, and I almost fell off the island counter where I was sitting. She was dressed like Priscilla Presley, minus the bouffant hideousness that was her hair in the late sixties. Instead, soft waves of hair framed her face and rested on her chest. She was wearing a body-hugging, sleeveless, blue dress that cut off just beneath her ass. There was a sliver belt around her waist and the shoes she was wearing made me shift in my seat. Knee-high, black leather hooker boots with stiletto heels. _Fuuuuuuck me!_

I hopped off the counter and made my way to her, brushing her hair off her shoulder and whispering in her ear, "Happy Halloween to me."

Pulling her closer, I kissed up and down her neck, stopping to suck gently at the juncture of her shoulder. She shivered and I ground myself into her hip. She gasped and smirked, "Well, it feels like someone thinks they're getting a treat tonight."

We laughed and stepped apart, holding hands as Alice, Emmett, and Jake made their way into the kitchen. Alice was dressed like Audrey Hepburn and she said Jasper would be playing the part of Frank Sinatra. Emmett looked lethal in a leather jacket and blue jeans… James Dean. And Jake, well, he and the other guards weren't much for dressing up, but they looked comfortable enough in black suits and sunglasses. Alice said they could play it off as agents from _Men in Black_.

On the way, we picked up Jasper and headed to the party. Rose's house was enormous. Her parents obviously had money. That's why they sent her to that preppy nightmare of a school, Villa. She also had the privilege of picking any college in the country for next year. Unlike some of us who actually worked for our status, she'd been spoon-fed it her entire life. But I had to hand it to her; she was one of Alice's friends I could stand to be around. Rose never acted like a stuck up priss with money oozing out of every pore. She tried to stay in the background most of the time, and that's why Alice and I were so confused when she told us she was dating Royce King.

He was the most popular guy at Villa, always in the lime-light, always begging for attention. He had a terrible reputation and was constantly labeled as a prick. Not the type of person we expected her to be with, but she said everything was great and he was a sweetheart.

Whatever. The guy reeked of bullshit and I just hoped she knew what she was doing.

The party was in full swing by the time we arrived and cars littered her front yard. Rose, dressed as Marilyn Monroe, and Royce, dressed as Clark Gable, greeted us at the front door. I introduced Bella and Emmett, and Rose blushed when she shook Emmett's hand.

_Rose doesn't blush_, I thought to myself. Looking over at Emmett I noticed he was ogling her and pulling at his shirt collar. Their handshake seemed to take on a mind of its own and neither one dropped the other's hand.

Bella started fidgeting next to me and elbowed Emmett in the ribs. He shook his head and released Rose's hand, clearing his throat and shakily smiling at Royce.

Royce, on the other hand, was glaring daggers at Emmett and I decided it was time to show them around the house.

Per Jake's request, I never took my arm off Bella. Not that I wanted to, but it was nice to have an order to back me up. Alice took her to the bathroom when she needed to relieve herself, but I was sole protector. Emmett stayed close by, too and we checked in with Jake or the other bodyguards at least once every thirty minutes.

Nothing seemed to be out of ordinary until I hadn't seen Emmett for about twenty minutes. I asked Bella if she knew where he went, but she only said he told her he was going to get a soda. As soon as the words left her mouth she realized what I was thinking. Emmett was missing and no one knew where he was. Bella started trembling and tears started forming in her eyes.

"Emmett," she mumbled, clutching me for support.

"Let's find Jake," I whispered and tried to pull her after me through the crowd.

She was fumbling with every step, so I picked her up and cradled her in my arms, pushing my way through the people, frantically searching for any of the bodyguards.

They weren't anywhere. I scanned the living room one more time before bolting up the stairs and running toward the bathroom at the end of the hall.

"Holy shit!" Bella screamed as one of the bedroom doors flew open and Royce soared through it, slammed into the wall, and landed in a heap on the floor. Bella cringed and clung to me, burying her face in my chest.

"You stupid, motherfucker!" Emmett yelled as he ran out of the room, clothes torn and bloodied. He towered over Royce, seething, sweat dripping from his forehead. "You'll pay for what you did, cocksucker!"

Emmett started kicking and punching Royce, knocking him completely out in three blows. Jake and Seth stood in the doorway discussing whether or not to stop Emmett or let him have a few more hits before they stepped in. When the sound of crushing bones ripped through the air, Jake gripped Emmett by the arms and pulled him away, talking him down and defusing the situation.

"What the hell is going on?" Bella asked as she tried to get out of my arms. I let her down and she ran to Emmett, trying to help him calm down.

Seth was talking into his earpiece to Jared and Paul, telling them to clear out the party. Royce started moaning on the floor and Seth restrained him as Leah started screaming orders from inside the bedroom.

"Jake! I need you in here! Jasper, wait outside for the ambulance. Alice, go get me more towels."

Everything felt like it was going in slow motion. I turned to the bedroom as Jake and Emmett walked back into the room. Jasper and Alice ran out of the door, blood-stained hands, following Leah's orders. Bella walked up and stood beside me as we watched the scene in front of us.

Blood. Pools of blood. Splatters on the wall, the furniture. A dainty, shoeless foot dangled off the side of the bed, blood dripping from the toes to the floor. Emmett and Jake walked to the far side of the bed and Bella gasped when we got a glimpse of the figure Leah was furiously working on.

Rose.

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**A/N: &*%*)$#! That's about all my brain can process right now. We find out a little bit more about Edward's condition, but not quite sure what's really goin' on. But we shall find out uber soon. And just when we think Emmett gets his girl, she's ripped from his grasp and fighting for her life. BPOV up next and we'll find out what happened to poor Rose.**

**Super neato news: So, the hubs recently posted a twi-parody and I am totally stealing from him! I'm going to be writing another story after this one is completed and I would love it if everyone would follow me along for that ride. It will be a comedy, so not a lot of angsty-ness, but it will definitely let the smexy times roll! Just so no one is put out, my story will NOT be a parody. It will have canon couplings and they will be in their late 20s, making it an ADULT story. I'm currently story-mapping it and will be happy to give more details for all those who ask!**


	18. Waiting

**A/N: Hello, my lovelies! So sorry for the length between updates. RL has been a bear. I'm just glad no one's sick anymore ::fingers crossed::**

**I'm not gonna draw this out, so let's get on with it, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I've made it gruesome.**

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*~*BPOV*~*

_Emmett… No!_

Edward and I were standing in the kitchen talking with some friends and waiting for Emmett to come back with our drinks. I'd lost track of time and then Edward mentioned Emmett. My stomach lurched.

It must have been twenty minutes since we last saw him. Sure, Emmett was able to take care of himself, but all I could think was the worst. _Where are the bodyguards? What if Riley was here? What if… James was here? What if I was next?_

My entire body went numb and the next thing I knew, Edward swept me up in his arms and we were barreling up the stairs. I was holding my breath hoping for the best when a body flew out one of the bedrooms. It slammed into the wall right in front of us and I clung to Edward, fearing it was Emmett.

But then Emmett's raging voice sliced through the air and I knew he was fine, but the sad piece of shit lying in a heap on the floor had it coming to him. I lifted my face and watched Emmett beat the crap out of Royce. They were both bloodied and their clothes were torn. I felt myself slipping into a flashback at the sight of the blood, but the sound of breaking bones kept me in the present.

_I need to stay here. I need to talk to Emmett._

"What the hell is going on?" I screamed as I wiggled to get out of Edward's arms and ran to Emmett.

"Let me go! I'm gonna kill that motherfucker!" Emmett yelled while Jake restrained him easily.

"Emmett, calm down!" I said as I placed my hand on his chest. He looked furious, but at least he stopped fighting Jake's hold under my touch. "Emmett, look at me."

His eyes slowly travelled from Royce's frame on the floor to my face. Now that he was looking at me I could see he was about to cry.

"Hey, I was terrified someone took you." I whispered as a tear slipped down his cheek. I peeked up at Jake and said, "I think he's good now, Jake. You can let him go. I've got him."

Jake released his hold slightly then let Emmett's arms go completely. He stepped back slowly, but never got more than arms length away.

"Emmett, you have to tell me what happened." I could tell he was flustered, so I helped him. "Just start from the beginning, okay, after you left to get a soda."

He shook his head and wiped his face roughly with his hands. "Ugh… well, I walked to the back porch and grabbed some sodas out of the coolers. When I turned to go back inside I heard raised voices coming from the window directly above me. It sounded like a heated argument, but that's about it. I opened the door to go in and heard a girl screaming 'please, no' followed by some pounding and shrieking." Emmett paused and took a deep breath, "I dropped the sodas and ran to find Jake. It took me about five minutes to weave through the crowd and find him, but then we raced upstairs with Leah right behind us. I had no idea it would be this bad."

Covering his face, he sobbed into his hands. His shoulders slumped forward and I tried pulling his hands from his face.

"Emmett, what did you see? You have to tell me."

"Bella, it was awful," he choked out. "Royce was beating Rose… just pounding into her. By the time we got to the room, she was barely able to fight back. He was tossing her around like a ragdoll, banging her against the walls, the floor, and… oh my god… the blood."

I tensed at his words. I knew I smelt it but I was so worried about Emmett that I hadn't processed the idea of what the scene would look like. I needed to focus to keep Emmett sane.

"What else? How did you stop him?" _If I keep asking questions, I'll be fine._

"It was all so fast. I launched myself at him, pulling him off of Rose. Jake and Leah took Rose and set her on the bed while I started punching Royce. He was so stunned we found him that he wasn't putting up much of a fight, but I didn't care. I pummeled every inch of him I could reach and knocked him out pretty quickly."

He stopped and looked at me like he wasn't sure if he should continue, but I needed him to keep talking.

"Keep going, Emmett. I can handle it."

He shuddered and wiped more tears from his cheeks. "Rose was trying to talk. She started moaning and gurgling. And she said… my name. It was just loud enough that I quit hammering into Royce and turned to the bed where Jake, Leah, and by then, Seth were working on her. Leah motioned for me to come over and I stumbled to the bed, leaving Royce unconscious on the floor. I took her hand and she half smiled before she started convulsing and throwing up blood."

Emmett was trembling. "Then that fucker started waking up and I couldn't let him get away." Emmett fisted his hands by his sides. "That's when I picked him up, threw him through the door, and he hit the wall."

"Jake! I need you in here! Jasper, wait outside for the ambulance. Alice, go get me more towels," Leah yelled out of the room, breaking up our conversation and causing the rage to come back to Emmett's eyes.

I stood shocked and unmoving. I wasn't sure if I was strong enough to handle what was in that room. Emmett and Jake pushed past me and went in the room. Alice and Jasper zoomed beside me and I slowly turned around to see Edward staring through the door. I braced myself and walked slowly over to Edward, gripping his arm for support.

I gasped when I finally saw the room. Emmett wasn't exaggerating. Blood was everywhere. It stained the walls, the floor, the bed… Rose. She was lifeless except for the occasional sputter and spewing of blood.

I felt the darkness creeping up, but I wouldn't let it take me down. _Not this time. I won't submit!_

Sirens blared in the distance and Leah started shouting more orders. I was shaking, trying to hang on. My vision was blurring and my hearing was muffled. _I'm slipping. No!_ Edward pulled me back against him and out of the way as the paramedics flew into the room. His arms cradled me again as my legs gave out and my head swam.

"Bella, stay with me," I barely heard Edward speaking to me. "Dammit, Bella! Talk to me!"

Edward shook me gently and I mumbled, "I'm here."

"Keep talking!" he demanded.

"Tell me wh…" I jostled in his arms as he walked and puked all over the front of both of us.

"Shit! Bella, we're downstairs. Rose is on her way to the hospital. Dad's working tonight. Alice! Help!"

My eyes fluttered open and I saw Alice and Jasper running to me and Edward.

"Bella, you're going to be all right," Alice squeaked through her tears. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," I whispered. "I think I'm okay."

"Edward, carry her to the kitchen. We'll clean you guys up there, and then we've got to get the hospital."

"Emmett," I tried to ask where he was and Edward answered my unfinished question.

"He went with Seth and Jake. They followed Rose and Leah in one of the ambulances to the hospital. Paul and Embry will drive us when we're ready."

Edward sat me down on the counter next to the sink and Alice started wiping me off. The room spun around me and I closed my eyes to keep from throwing up again. I began to feel slightly less woozy and barely heard Alice mumbling under her breath.

"Everything will be fine. Rose will be fine."

I opened my eyes and smiled gently at her. She still had panic in her eyes when she tried to return a smile of her own, and she jumped at me and gave me a huge hug.

Edward broke up our moment and picked me up off the counter. Paul and Embry were waiting in cars out front ready to take us to the hospital. We piled inside and raced to the hospital. No one made a sound the entire way there. The sound of the car engine, along with Alice's revelation before, soothed some of my nerves. I just hoped Emmett was staying calm and not making a scene in the emergency room. Then a thought hit me.

"Edward," I whispered. "What happened to Royce?"

Edward startled but pulled me closer to his body. "Royce was in pretty bad shape, too. Another ambulance took him to the hospital."

Just then, we pulled up to the emergency room entrance and ran inside. Emmett, Seth, and Jake were pacing in the waiting area and I went over to Emmett. His face was pale and his eyes looked bloodshot. He'd only looked like that once before, and I'd never wanted to see that face again.

"Emmett, is she okay?" I questioned when I reached him, grabbing his hand and willing him to sit down.

"We don't know," he replied, sinking into the chair next to me. "The last thing we saw was the stretcher being wheeled through the doors. No one's come out to tell us what's going on."

"Dad will do everything he can. I know it," Edward joined the conversation as he sat on the other side of Emmett.

Emmett nodded once at Edward. That was about the only energy he had left at that point. I knew exactly what he was going through. I'd seen it that night.

_The door to the cabin bursts open and Emmett flies straight at James. I'm still kneeling in front of James on the floor and his arms stop extending toward me, suspended in midair. My head whips to the side and I jump out of the way just as Emmett slams into James._

_They tumble and roll to the floor, kicking, grunting, screaming, punching. I hear flesh pounding into flesh, profanities slicing through the scuffle, and I know I have to act fast or Emmett doesn't have a chance._

"_Run… gnngh… Bella!" Emmett yells to me as James punches his side, but I've already made a plan._

_Lying in the corner of room is our saving grace, the one thing that will guarantee our escape. I only have one chance to get this right. I bend over and pick up the weapon with trembling hands. It's already done too much damage tonight, but it has to do one more job. It stole the light from my father's eyes and now, it will rip the life from James._

_The roar of the chainsaw bursts through the room. James and Emmett immediately stop their fighting and stare up at me. Emmett takes the opportunity and jumps out of James' grip, kicking him square in the jaw when he gets to his feet. James grabs his face with this hand and groans. Emmett runs to my side as James scrambles to stand up, still rubbing the site Emmett kicked._

_A sardonic smile gleams across James' face and he stalks towards us. He has us cornered. Our only escape is to go through him… and that's exactly what I plan to do._

"_Emmett," I whisper almost inaudibly. "When I say run, you go for the door. I'll be fine. Just trust me."_

"_Bella, I can't," Emmett's voice trembles as he stares at James quickly approaching._

"_Just run!" I scream._

_Emmett hesitates fractionally, but bolts for the door. James jumps for him and clips Emmett's arm, causing him to falter. It's not enough to keep Emmett in place, but it's enough to distract James._

_I run straight at James, chainsaw gripped tightly in my hands. He turns to me with one last wicked smile as I toss the weapon at his face._

_I close my eyes as I run past James and race for Emmett standing at the door. The only sounds we hear as we sprint toward the woods are the rumble of the chainsaw gnawing through flesh and the muffled screams of James._

_We run for mere minutes when Emmett pulls me to a stop._

"_Mom's over here."_

_I hear a soft moan as I follow Emmett through the trees. Mom is lying in the grass, bloodied, battered, and barely alive. Emmett scoops her up and she gurgles, blood pouring from her mouth. He starts walking again and I trudge along behind him, aimlessly, hoping that we make it out of this alive._

_After what seems like hours, we hear a car driving in the distance. Emmett turns to me with brightened eyes and picks up speed. We rush through the woods, pushing through trees and brush. Finally, we stumble across a two lane road and stop at the edge._

"_Now, we wait," Emmett says and he sits down with Mom in his lap. She sputters and he clings to her. His eyes are weary, his face is pale. I must look the same._

_I sit down next to him and grab Mom's cold hand. "Now, we wait."_

"Bella. Hey, Bella."

Alice was sitting on the floor in front of me. I didn't know how long I was lost in my thoughts and I shook my head to clear it. That was the furthest my flashbacks or nightmares had ever gone. I was never able to get past James abusing me. Something was changing and I was glad. I was more than ready to move on.

When I finally looked down at Alice she stared up at me, waving a dollar bill in my face.

"I said, do you want to grab some fries or something," she asked as realization hit her. "Oh crap! You were having another flashback, weren't you? Are you okay? Do you want me to get Emmett or Edward? They went to get some fresh air with Seth and Jasper, but they should be back soon."

Mindlessly, I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands and sighed. "No. Really, I'll be fine. But I do think it would be a good idea to get something to eat."

I went to get up and was immediately stopped by a huge hand on my shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?" the low voice boomed.

I slowly turned my face and looked up at Jake. He seemed extra skittish. _That doesn't bode well with me._

"Jake," I tried standing again, successfully that time. "Can you just walk Alice and me to the cafeteria? We want to grab a bite to eat."

He peered down at me, eventually relaxing after he glanced around the room and saw Seth returning with Emmett, Edward, and Jasper. They all looked frazzled and jumpy.

"The detectives just arrived," Seth started, giving Jake a knowing look. Jake nodded and scratched his head, his eyes bouncing between Emmett and me.

My stomach began churning again. If Jake and Seth were freaking out, something crazy was about to happen… or they were hiding a seriously heinous secret.

I stared over at Jake and he eventually noticed I wasn't backing down. If what he knew concerned me or Emmett, we deserved to know. Jake must have known I'd start asking questions and obviously didn't want that to happen in front of the others, so he huffed and walked Emmett and me away from earshot of the group.

"Remember when Leah told you at homecoming that we've been following Detective Aro for a while?" asked Jake.

Emmett and I nodded.

"Okay," Jake continued. "We've uncovered some very damaging information on him. I'm confident he doesn't know specifics, but he caught wind that something wasn't right. I'm nervous because I don't want him to take it out on either of you." Jake sighed, "So, to head him off, Seth, Leah, and I decided we would take matters into our own hands for this case and not allow Detective Aro to touch it. We don't want him involved any more than he has to be. But we're expecting a huge backlash when he figures this all out. Just follow our lead and don't answer any of his questions… Got it?"

I looked at Emmett and he squeezed my hand. We could totally do the silent treatment. That was one of our specialties growing up in the foster care system. Playing the "quiet game" was the easiest way to piss someone off, and if it was an Olympic sport, we'd win gold by a landslide.

"Understood," replied Emmett and I smiled, knowing this was going to be tons of fun.

Jake walked us back over to the others and asked us all to have a seat. We were huddled in a corner of the waiting room and he debriefed everyone on being silent when the detectives were near. However, he never elaborated on what "damaging information" he seemed to have on Aro. Any time one of us pressed him for answers he would tells us, "Now is not the time or place."

After a few minutes, Jake and Seth stiffened and immediately took protective stances over our group. Detectives Aro and Marcus walked into the ER waiting room and sauntered over to us in the corner.

"Agent Jake. Agent Seth," Aro greeted, smugness oozing from every pore. "What a pleasure to find you here. I believe every time we meet these children seem to be the cause of it. What a shame."

Aro glared down at me and Emmett. His eyes were full of malice and he looked like he was ready to chop off our heads and carry them around town as trophies.

I glared right back at him. Really, I wanted to stick my tongue out at him, but I didn't want to give him fuel to pin me for something I didn't do. As I looked around at our united group on the floor, I saw everyone had the same face as me. Disgusted, disgraced, disgruntled. I was surprised Aro wasn't taken aback at all the bitch faces he was currently getting.

"If you don't mind," Aro started, "I'll just take Emmett with me."

Detective Aro took a step forward, bending over with an outstretched hand toward Emmett. It looked like he wanted to pick Emmett up by the neck.

"I'm afraid that can't happen, Detective Aro," Jake interrupted, stepping between Aro and Emmett. He crossed his arms and towered over Aro, glaring down at him menacingly. "We've taken control of this case and will no longer be in need of your services. Thank you for your time, but you may leave as you are no longer needed here."

"What… I… You can't do that!" Aro sputtered, fury washing over his features.

"Ah, but Detective Aro," Jake scoffed, "You know we most certainly can. This case is now in control of the Federal government and your full cooperation is expected."

"But you… I can't believe… This is outrageous!" Aro threw his arms up in the air and grabbed two fistfuls of his hair, pulling roughly. He clenched his eyes shut tightly and starting shaking with anger.

Detective Marcus slowly stepped behind Aro, looking as bored as ever. But I almost gasped at what I saw next. Marcus rested a hand on Aro's shoulder and tugged him back gently. Then Marcus looked up at Jake and deliberately winked while Jake nodded so slightly that I wasn't really sure I saw any movement at all.

My head whipped around to look at Emmett and Edward. The expressions on their faces definitely confirmed they'd just seen what I did. Edward's eyes were huge and Emmett's jaw was slack. I scanned to the right and Alice and Jasper weren't any different. Seth saw our reactions and quickly mouthed at us to compose ourselves.

We all shook our heads simultaneously, fixing our faces in somewhat respectable manners.

"Detective Marcus," Jake began. "If you'll be so kind as to make sure Detective Aro gets back to your station safely. Embry and Quil will be by in the morning to collect all the files you have on this case. Again, thank you for your time."

By then, Detective Aro was fuming. His face was beet red and his handlebar mustache was twitching with every breath. He was screaming profanities and resisting Marcus as he tugged him toward the exit. Finally, Marcus leaned in and said something in Aro's ear, calming him slightly. He stopped struggling long enough to realize the hospital security guards were closing in on him. He swiftly turned for the exit and was out of sight before the sliding doors had a chance to close.

"Well, that was interesting," a gentle female voice rang from behind our group.

We all jumped and turned to see Leah standing by Seth. She smiled down at us with tired eyes.

"Edward and Alice," Leah explained, "your father wants you all to meet in his office. He said you knew where it was."

"How's Rose?" everyone said in unison. _Whoa, surround sound._

"He wanted to tell you himself, so you better go find him."

We all jumped up, forgetting about Detective Aro's strange scene, and followed Edward and Alice through the halls to Carlisle's office. The door was ajar and we heard him talking on the phone.

"I told you, _sir_ that I cannot give out that information. It's a violation of the patient's rights!"

Edward peeked his head in the door, nodded, and stepped back into the hall.

"I will not bend on this! Goodbye."

A loud bang sounded when Carlisle hung up the phone. We heard him huff and shuffle around some papers before calling us to come into the room.

We crowded into the small office with the bodyguards staying outside. Jasper and Alice scooted over to my right with Emmett to my left and Edward pressed against my back. My eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light and I noticed Carlisle had dark circles under his eyes and he seemed very worried.

"I'm glad you all were able to make it away from Detective Aro without much damage," Carlisle snickered. "Jake and Leah have assured me we will find out more about that situation tomorrow after I return home from work."

I relaxed a little hearing Carlisle confirm we'd know more soon. Detective Aro was such a slimy, creepy man. He was definitely up to no good.

"As for Rose," Carlisle continued. "She's in the intensive care unit on the sixth floor in critical condition. Her parents are up there with her and will tell you more if they wish. They're not opposed to you all visiting and specifically asked to speak with you, Emmett."

I couldn't tell if Emmett was happy or scared when Carlisle said that. His facial features switched between thrilled, nervous, and anxious in the blink of an eye. He glanced over at me and I patted his back, giving him a soft, reassuring smile.

After Carlisle finished giving us directions to the ICU, we trudged upstairs. It was verging on two o'clock in the morning and everyone was starting to feel it. But there was no way we were leaving without checking on Rose first.

Rose's parents were sitting on either side of her bed, each holding one of her hands. Her mother noticed our approach first and weakly nodded for us to come in.

The monitors beeped the slow, steady rhythm of Rose's heart. A tube from her mouth was hooked to a machine helping her breathe. She had several other lines coming from various parts of her body. One in particular that was going through her nose would gurgle and sputter every few seconds and a dark red substance would dump into a canister hanging on the wall. Other lines were attached to her arms and one was in her neck. These were connected to five medication pumps, all blinking and clicking as they infused their life sustaining juices.

"Thank you all for coming to visit," Rose's mother said groggily. "My name is Julie and this is my husband, Richard. We wanted to thank all of you, especially Emmett, for stepping in and saving our little girl."

Emmett blushed when Julie smiled at him and reached out her hand for a shake. He took her hand gently and squeezed it as she pulled him to her and gave him a big hug.

"Oh, well I would have done it for anyone," Emmett explained when he stepped out of Julie's embrace. "I just don't understand why Royce would have done this to her."

/~/+/~/

Over the next week, Rose's condition was touch and go. She was heavily sedated to keep her from feeling pain and also to keep her from pulling out any vital tubes. Blood transfusions were running almost constantly, with a total of twelve units given over four days… and that barely brought the pink back to her ghostly pale cheeks. At least she started stabilizing by the end of the week, and the doctors were confident she could start weaning off of the ventilator with great success.

Another positive outcome was the news we heard about Royce. After he arrived by ambulance to the ER he was quickly stabilized and sent to the orthopedic floor. Apparently, Emmett did a pretty good job of screwing up his ribcage and several bones in his face. When Royce was sent to the floor, Seth called in the Forks police and gave them the specifics of the night. Without further questioning, they set up a protection detail and constantly monitored Royce in his hospital room. The plan was to take him straight to jail as soon as he was released.

Royce had other plans.

Somehow he got a hold of a DVD despite being void of all privileges. Even though he was supposed to have strict one-on-one supervision at all times, he convinced the hospital sitter to let him go into the bathroom by himself. While he was in there, he broke the hidden DVD into shards and used a piece to slit his throat. He bled to death by the time the hospital staff found him.

Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Edward, and I visited Rose every day after school. When we heard about Royce, we made sure Rose knew, too. Although she was still unresponsive when we told her, she seemed to move faster to recovery with the news.

After several more blood transfusions, four surgeries to correct internal damage, and three surgeries to fix a broken pelvis and both her legs, Rose was downgraded from ICU status within three weeks. Carlisle told us that Rose was extremely lucky to survive her attack in the first place and that her recovery was astounding. The physicians caring for her in the unit warned that she would need several months of physical and occupational therapy to get her back to where she was before, and Rose was determined to get back to normal as soon as possible.

Of course, her motives for a fast recovery were spurred on by her new boyfriend… my hulk of a brother, Emmett. He spent as much time with her as he could. Guiding her through her therapies, Emmett helped Rose start walking again… with the assistance of a walker and some finely crafted braces.

It was actually getting pretty gross to be around those two. They made googly-eyes at each other whenever they were in the same room, and by the time Thanksgiving rolled around, Emmett was the only one who was still visiting her at the hospital on a daily basis.

"Come on, you guys," Emmett whined one cold November day at lunch. "Rose really wants you to come and see her today. She said she has something to tell us before she's released on Friday. Puh-leeeease!"

"Can you promise to keep your PDA to a minimum?" Edward joked, elbowing Emmett in the arm.

"Har, har." Emmett snickered. "Like I don't have to put up with you and Bella on a regular basis. At least you guys can separate yourself from the situation. And it's not that bad for you, either. I'm the one that's scarred for life after walking in on my best friend with his hand up my sister's shirt."

Edward and I cringed while Jasper and Alice busted up laughing.

"That was once," I justified. "And you should have knocked instead of barging into the room, nimrod. We keep the door locked now anyway."

I stuck my tongue out at him and he flipped me the bird.

"Just come with me today, okay?" Emmett pleaded. "She said it's really important."

"Of course we'll be there, Emmett," Alice smiled. "If Rose needs us, we're there."

Jasper leaned over and kissed Alice on the cheek. Edward tensed at the sight, but I rubbed his back and he relaxed. He really liked Jasper and knew Alice would go ballistic again if he went all "protecto-brother" on her. Besides, I'd convinced him it wasn't worth the battle since we all seemed to be paired with our better halves now. No point in fighting the inevitable.

When school let out, Jake and Leah drove us to the hospital to visit Rose. She'd been transferred to the rehab facility on the campus after she was cleared by the doctors. It didn't smell sterile like the ICU did, but Rose constantly complained about the "old farts" and their lack of urinary cleanliness.

"I hate that I had to make you all come up here," Rose apologized as she hobbled back to her room. "It reeks like piss, but I promise I have something that is worth the nasal sabotage. I couldn't wait until I got home to tell you."

I glanced at Emmett, but he just shrugged. No one knew what Rose had on her mind, but we all hoped it was good.

Sitting down on the couch and chairs in her room, we all took our places and waited for Rose to begin. She positioned herself in her bed with Emmett's help, and nodded over to Leah who pulled Jake out of the room and shut the door.

"Okay. So I know you've all been wondering what the hell happened that night," Rose sighed and took a deep breath. "Well, before you all judge me I just want to say I thought I was in love, and I've come to terms with the fact that I was really just blinded by the asshole."

She looked over at Emmett sitting next to her on the bed and he squeezed her hand, encouraging her to go on.

"No one knows this besides my parents," Rose continued, "and I trust all of you to keep it to yourselves. I won't get into the gory details because, well, that's just too hard for me still, but I will tell you what started it all.

"Before Emmett heard me pleading with Royce to stop, I'd told him something I thought would make him happy. I took him up to my room and wanted to be in a quiet place where I could tell him without interruptions. I sat on the bed and Royce sat next to me. He started trying to make out with me and I slowed him down because I really needed to tell him what was on my mind. Looking into his eyes, I told him the secret and it was like watching a flipped switch. He went from zero to insane in two seconds flat and started pounded into me."

Rose stopped and stared down at her lap. We were all waiting patiently for her to continue, but Emmett broke the silence first.

"It's okay, Rose. Just tell us. You know you can trust us."

She smiled up at him with tears falling from her eyes. "I told him I was pregnant."

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**A/N: Well… was it everything you thought and more? I'm sure there are lots of questions, so please ask away. I promise to write you back and give you specifics… as long as it won't ruin future chapters. So, leave me love, or hate, or whatever.**

**Big snuggles to all my readers for the reviews, alerts, and favorites. I can't get enough of every single one of you! Keep it up!**

**Super high fives to my betas twifan82 and Sovereignvision, who skipped his nap to get this done for me. Smooches!**

**Rec time: My friend Susie has a new story out that you all should be reading. If you like a good mystery, you'll love this story.**

_**End Island**_** by xlavendermoonx: Secretly investigating an unsolved disappearance, best-selling author Bella Swan moves to a secluded island where she gets caught up in the mysteries of the case and the #1 suspect, Edward Cullen. BxE, AH, Rated M for mature themes.**


	19. Information

**A/N: Hello my long time lovelies and all my new lovelies out there! I've gotten so many new alerts and favorites it's crazy! Thank you all for reading my story and for staying on board for this wild ride!**

**Thanks as always to the crew: Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen.**

**Just wanted to warn you, we backtrack a bit in this chapter. It will explain a lot of questions you're having about Aro. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I get to screw with your heads. ****©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*EPOV*~*

Halloween night was a complete disaster. Just when everyone thought we'd finally have a fun, relaxing evening, it turned into a shitfest of epic proportions.

Thankfully, Rose survived the beating and was making amazing progress. I was really happy for Emmett and Bella, too, because they both seemed to handle the entire situation without completely losing their minds. The second I looked into that room and saw all the blood, I immediately wanted to shield Bella and take her away so she wouldn't have to see it. If cutting her hand and seeing that little bit of blood made her pass out, then I was sure she'd faint on the spot when she looked into that room. But she managed to stay with me. Despite getting puked on, I was really excited that she was finally moving past her fears.

Unfortunately, Detectives Aro and Marcus showed up at the hospital and threw us all for a loop. We'd known for a while that Leah and Jake were digging into Aro's background, but when Marcus and Jake exchanged knowing looks and Aro flipped his shit, no one knew what to think anymore.

After visiting Rose, Jake and Leah drove us all back home. They told us to get some sleep because they had "big information" to give us about Aro. Everyone was exhausted, so no one complained. We all showered and went straight to our rooms, not speaking to anyone.

The next afternoon the entire family gathered in the living room. Anxiety was heavy in the room, and we all waited tensely for Jake and Leah to spill the beans.

I took a seat on one end of the couch with Emmett on the opposite end and Bella in between us. She pulled her knees to her chest and weakly smiled at me before rubbing her face with her hands. Emmett patted her back while I peeled her hands away, settling them on her knees with my own. Alice had taken up residence on the floor in front of Bella and rested her head on Bella's feet. Noticing her apprehension, I leaned toward Bella and whispered in her ear.

"Bella, please don't worry. We've known something was up with Aro for a while, and now he can't touch your case. Jake and Leah won't let anything happen to you or Emmett."

She nodded slowly and fell into my side. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders just as Jake and Leah walked into the room followed by Mom and Dad. Choosing to stand, Jake and Leah centered themselves in the living room while Mom and Dad sat in the chairs flanking the fireplace.

"As you all know Detective Aro has been under our radar for quite some time," started Jake. "But what you don't know is for how long and why."

"The first FBI agent to pick up on James' killing pattern was our superior, Agent Sam Uley," Leah continued. "He noticed too many similarities to dismiss and demanded to work on each of the victims' cases. When the killings continued and picked up in frequency, he knew something had to be done.

"What you probably didn't realize is that Sam was following you two around the United States. When he noticed the connection between your parents' deaths, the ages of the other victims, and the specific locations of the killings, he knew James was after the two of you."

Leah stared at Emmett and Bella. They both shivered in response to the news.

"Sam wanted to make sure you were safe," said Jake. "He was watching you from a distance and didn't intervene unless absolutely necessary. For instance, when any of the killings took place he made sure you were immediately moved to another foster family. He would contact your DFS caseworkers and plan travel arrangements within the next one to two days. Sam hated to uproot you so often, but it was the only logical option at the time since no one could seem to get their hands on James.

"After jostling you two around the US for five years, Sam knew it was time to settle you both somewhere safe. He was born and raised on the Quileute Reservation in La Push, Washington and was confident this area would be a good haven for you. He contacted his father and was told about Carlisle."

Jake paused and turned to Dad who nodded and shifted in his seat to face us.

"I go to the reservation and offer medical supplies and services one weekend a month, free of charge," started Dad. "Sam's father was an elder in the tribe, and I spoke with him frequently about fostering children and guiding them until we weren't able to care for them anymore. About three months before your arrival, he told me about Sam and his work with the FBI. That's also when he mentioned the need for a foster family for you, Bella and Emmett."

"It was perfect timing," Mom chimed in, grinning widely. "We'd been discussing inviting more children into the house and you both seemed like a wonderful fit. We're so glad you were able to join us."

Leah smiled softly at Mom and I noticed Bella wipe a tear from her cheek. I gently rubbed her arm and squeezed her closer into my side.

"Sam quickly arranged for your move to the Cullen's," said Leah. "He also talked with Jake and me regarding the possibility of helping him out with the case. He never knew we'd have to get this involved.

"When the most recent murders happened in Seattle, Sam became suspicious. First of all, you hadn't moved here yet, and the previous killings all took place months after you'd been moved to a new area. He'd only contacted DFS about the transfer one week before the Seattle murders and was making preliminary arrangements with Carlisle, debriefing him on your situation. Secondly, the only people aware of your impending move were Sam, the Cullen's, DFS, and the Seattle police force."

Emmett's head snapped up. He stared at Jake and Leah with deathly force, and Bella reached over to pat his back in an effort to calm him down.

"Detectives Aro and Marcus were heading up the case of the most recent murders and rapidly linked it back to James," Jake sighed. "This is where things started getting sketchy. None of the previous murder victims' cases were linked back to James without Sam intervening and informing them of the connection. Obviously, the Seattle police force had inside information leading them to that conclusion."

"Oh shit!" Bella mumbled. "It was _him_!"

She shivered again and Alice looked up at Bella with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, Bella," Leah continued. "It was James. After months of grueling underground investigation, we've uncovered that Detective Aro has been working with James. When Sam realized they'd made the connection of the killings before he met with the department, he knew he'd have to be covert. He immediately contacted Embry and Quil to start working on the case with the police department. They were to pose as Forks police officers gathering information on detective duties at the Seattle station.

"During their short three week time at the station, they'd noticed a disconnect between Marcus and Aro. This was crucial to Sam's investigation. After discussing the case with Aro and Marcus himself, Sam began to secretly communicate with Marcus without Aro's knowledge. Detective Marcus started spying on Aro, gaining invaluable information that pegged him as a 'dirty cop,' if you will."

"Most of the information Marcus was able to uncover involved phone correspondence or money transfers between Aro and James," Jake detailed. "These dated back to as far as the mid 1990's, before Aro made detective status and before James moved to Pennsylvania. Apparently, these two had been college roommates and James would supply Aro with whatever monthly prostitute piqued his interest. Essentially, James has been Aro's go-to pimp and in return, Aro has kept James safe."

By now, Emmett was seething, his knuckles ghostly white as he fisted his hands. Bella wasn't fairing much better as she wiped tears furiously off her face. I couldn't imagine what was going on inside their heads.

"I know this a lot to take in," Leah started, "but we want you both to know that Aro is no longer able to touch this case, and we are willing to do anything to keep you alive."

Emmett and Bella both looked at Leah and nodded slowly. That seemed to calm them slightly, but I could tell neither one was truly feeling safe right now.

"Because of Aro's extensive involvement with James, Sam increased your security detail to not just him, but several of the special agents in the area," said Jake. "We've been following you since you moved here and we haven't let you out of our sight. I was on the plane ride with you from your last foster home to here and monitored your every step from a distance. That is, until I was directly assigned to be your bodyguard after the incident on your shopping trip in August."

"Wait," Bella interrupted, "that was you? I knew someone was watching us. I had this creepy feeling the entire time." She paused, looking lost in thought. "And that explains why Aro was so pissed that you would be our bodyguard. He knew it would be even more difficult for James to get to us with a huge protection detail following us everywhere. But," Bella's eyes suddenly got huge and she cowered deeper into the couch, "that means _he_ knows where we live. He knows about this house… he… oh, no!"

Bella started crying into her hands. I tried to pry them off her face, but she wouldn't budge.

"Bella," Dad rose from his seat and walked over to the couch, "please don't be upset. Esme and I have known the entire time that this house has been watched by the agents. James can't get you here. We've taken every precaution to ensure that."

"But now he's not just after me or Emmett," Bella sniffled, raising her face to look at Dad. "Now he's after all of you, too. I'm so sorry. We never wanted to put you all in danger."

She dropped her face back down and cried even harder. Mom came over at this point and grabbed Bella in a huge embrace.

"Please don't be sorry, Bella," Mom whispered. "We knew the consequences of taking you into our home and we've never regretted it for a minute. We love you and Emmett, and just like Leah said, we're doing everything we can to keep you safe."

Bella's sobbing quieted, but her tears didn't stop. She looked over at Emmett who was shaking his head and gripping his stomach.

"We really are sorry," Emmett apologized, looking pale and scared. "I'm sure this is more than you expected to take on, and we've only become a burden to you."

Mom was crying now, too. She let go of Bella and pulled Emmett into a hug.

"No, no, no," she countered. "You are never a burden. Taking care of you and your safety is never a chore. Don't ever think that. We truly love you and want only the best for the both of you."

Dad nodded in agreement and turned to address Jake and Leah.

"I think that's enough information for now. Thank you. I'll answer any of their further questions and call if they need you."

Leah and Jake silently escaped the room while the family huddled around the couch. That was more than enough information for a lifetime. It was making me dizzy to think about it and that only meant Bella and Emmett must have been reeling after hearing the news.

Somehow, Bella slipped to the floor next to Alice and their heads were pressed together while they cried. I scooted over to Emmett and gave him a single nod to which he responded with his own. The color was starting to return to his face and he seemed to calm down rather quickly which I took as a good sign. He knew he could talk to me about anything. I'd told him hundreds of times I'd listen when he needed it, and he always told me he'd find me when he was ready. I just hoped he didn't wait until he imploded.

/~/+/~/

After an eerily quiet dinner and evening, we all decided to call it a night. I was changing into my pajama pants and was mid leg when there was a knock at my door. Assuming it was Emmett, I called for him to come in while I finished pulling up my pants.

"Oops, sorry," Bella squeaked and quickly closed my door when she noticed I wasn't quite finished dressing and my naked butt met her instead.

"Crap," I breathed as I tied my pants and raced to the door, hoping she wasn't running for the hills. "Bella, come back. What's wrong?"

I'd jumped into the hall and caught her just as she made it to the stairs. Her comforter was wrapped around her tiny body and all I could see was her head sticking out of the top. She slowly turned around and made her way over to me, smiling sheepishly and looking up at me through her lashes.

"I just wanted to know if I could talk to you," she whispered. "But it's okay. I'll just go back to my room."

"What? No. Come on. I'm obviously still awake and no amount of tiredness would keep me from listening to you."

We walked back to my room and sat on the floor at the end of my bed. Cuddling under her comforter with my arms wrapped protectively around her, she warned me that what she was about to tell me would be horrifying and to make her stop at any time. To say I was a little confused would've been an understatement.

She started slow, easing into the story… well, not story… her experience. Over the next five hours, Bella recollected every gory detail of that horrendous night, including watching her father's life taken from him, moving the body pieces herself, and being molested by James. Weeping and shaking, she ended up curled so close into my side that I wasn't sure where I ended and she began.

"So we just waited at the side of the road," Bella choked on a sob. "We had no idea how long it would be before someone would drive along and find us. It seemed like we sat for hours in the darkness, wishing and hoping car lights would beam down the road any second. Then, it happened."

She paused, blew her nose on a tissue and looked up at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Emmett saw it first," she continued, "and we both got up to walk into the road. He was still holding mom, even though she'd stopped moving or making noises long before, and we stood in the middle of the street. The driver noticed us and slowed to a stop right in front of us. Everything started going in slow motion at that point. We couldn't see into the car because the lights were glaring, and I gripped Emmett's arm in fear. I wanted to hope for the best, but after the night we'd had, I could only think that somehow these people were attached to James.

"Then, two women emerged from the car and ran to our sides. Their faces were unrecognizable, but as they raced towards us, the glow from the car lights made them look like angels. They were talking so fast and spewing out medical terms that I hardly knew if they were actually speaking English or not. By the time they got us into the backseat of their car, Emmett and I were trembling and clinging to each other fiercely, mom draped over our laps.

"They asked if we knew where we were, if we were hungry, if we were cold. But they never asked what happened. I was grateful for that. The trauma of the night rendered us silent and neither of us wanted to relive it.

"During the drive, they made several phone calls, but nothing was making sense anymore so I don't remember what was said. We arrived about forty-five minutes later at a tiny community hospital outside of Emporium, Pennsylvania. They ran test after test, asked millions of repetitive questions, hooked us up to monitors and pumps, and all the while those two women stayed by our sides.

"I'd known the entire time that mom was gone, but when the doctor came in and confirmed it about an hour after we got there, I broke down. I screamed and kicked and punched anyone that got close to me. There was no way I was going to calm down. I wanted to die, too. Both my parents were dead. My life was nonexistent. But those women stepped in and the world seemed to stop spinning for a tiny sliver of a moment. They held us and comforted us, calming us when we seemed inconsolable.

"Emmett shut down after that. No one, not even me, could get him to talk for months. I would barely say three words to anyone, and the doctors kept spewing words and initials at us like 'catatonic' and 'PTSD.' We didn't have a shit clue what that meant at the time, but after several sessions with shrinks and numerous failed attempts at making us take medications, they backed off. Eventually, we internalized everything, realizing that no matter what, our lives would forever be different.

"Those two women that saved us that night were our first foster parents. They took us into their home and tried to give us back some normalcy, but it was just too soon. We felt broken beyond repair, and even though they treated us the best out of all the foster families, we were never able to fully enjoy their hospitality."

Bella stopped, scooted around on the floor, and wiped her face with her hand. I waited for her to continue, but she never said anything.

"Bella," I whispered, hoping not to interrupt or frighten her. "Thank you." I kissed the top of her head and pulled her chin up so she would look me in the eyes. "That was the single greatest gift anyone has given me. You trusted me enough to share your entire story, and I can't imagine how difficult that was for you. You are the bravest, most courageous person I know, and I'm so lucky to have found you."

Tears were flowing down her cheeks again, but I wiped them away with my thumbs. I inched my face closer to hers and kissed her deeply, tasting the salt from her tears. She returned the kiss with equal passion and she snaked her hands into my hair, tugging gently. We sat there, lost in each other for several more minutes before she broke the kiss.

"Edward, thank you for listening. That couldn't have been easy for you to hear, but I'm glad you listened to what I had to say. I wanted you to know everything about my past, and now you know the truth."

She blinked and yawned enormously, breaking her train of thought. "Oh, man. Sorry about that. I'm just so exhausted."

I laughed at her and she playfully jabbed my ribs with her elbow.

"Um… would you care… I mean, do you mind if I just crash here tonight?" Bella stuttered. "I don't think my legs are capable of carrying me back to my room."

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" I replied. "Do you think you can make it up to the bed?"

She swatted my arm at my sad excuse for a joke, and we climbed into my bed. We both faced the wall, with her in front of me, and she snuggled back into my body. Fitting perfectly against each other's bent frame, I sighed and she yawned before saying good night.

"Uh, Bella?" I questioned, rubbing small circles on her arm. "What were the names of your first foster parents?"

"Tanya and Irina. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, in particular. The way you described them just reminded me of a couple of people I used to know."

She hummed in response and relaxed even further. Her breathing evened out and deepened and I knew she was asleep.

Unfortunately, I wasn't entirely truthful and I hated being such a shithead since she'd just bared her soul to me. What I really should have told her was that I _did_ know her foster parents, but I still wasn't ready to tell her my story. _I'm such a fucking coward._

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_**A/N: So, now we know all about Aro… the dirty bastard. And we also found out more of Bella's past, but there's new questions brewing about Edward's. I know you're all thinking how the hell could he know her foster parents? Answers to come!**

**Next chapter will start with EPOV and end with BPOV. I know I said more details about Rose this chapter, but it would have taken another week to get a chapter out, and I think this chapter has enough info to last for a bit… I hope. So, more on Rose next chapter, PROMISE!**

**As a reward for your patience, I will send out TEASERS for all readers who REVIEW! I haven't done that in a long time, so take it while you can get it, sweets.**

**If anyone is concerned about the ranks of the agents… Leah and Jake are "Supervisory Special Agents." The other agents, like Quil and Embry, are "Special Agents" (one rank below Leah and Jake). Sam Uley is their "Special Agent in Charge." I obviously just call them agents because this is a lot to write and it craps up my screen.**

**SPECIAL ALERT: I have to send out some MAJOR hugs and thanks to Famaggiolo and Justginger for rec'ing my story in the latest chapter of _People Like Us_. I seriously almost pissed myself when they said they were reading WP. I've had a permanent smile all week! If you aren't reading _People Like Us_, please check it out: www(.)fanfiction(.)net(/)s(/)5631301(/)1(/)People_like_us**


	20. Incidents

**A/N: Hello again my lovelies! Yes, I am updating in less than two weeks, and I hope you enjoy it. I've tried very hard to stay on task, and I think the next update will be under two weeks as well. It's all just because I love you so much for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites I received from last chapter. It was like the flood gates opened up and everyone wanted a teaser. Hmmm... maybe I shall do that again. More down below!**

**Thanks to Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen for pounding this one out! And to the hubs for giving me some great inspiration for the citrus that I hope you all enjoy ::wink::**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I wish she'd just share a little of the wealth with me. ©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*EPOV*~*

After the night Bella shared her past, she made it a point to knock on my door pretty much every night and sleep in my bed. She claimed it was because she slept better with me by her side. Who was I to complain? A hot girl in my bed every night! Score!

The only problem was keeping it from the parents… and Emmett. Mom and Dad seemed oblivious to our shenanigans, but Emmett wasn't as easily appeased. He'd confronted me about noises on several occasions, and I just kept changing the subject. Of course we were having our fair share of groping episodes and we tried to keep it quiet, but Bella just couldn't keep her… emotions to herself.

Again… hot girl, my bed, at night… Super score!

But then he caught us. Well, specifically me… with my hands up Bella's shirt. He didn't talk to me for the next week, but Bella assured me he'd forgive me in the end. I just had to give him space and let her handle him.

I'm not sure what she did or said, but he was as good as clueless the next day and we were back to chatting it up like old buddies. It was like the entire episode never happened.

About a week before Thanksgiving, Bella told me she was planning on staying in her room for the night to see if she could sleep on her own. I told her that was fine, but my inner hormonal teenager started throwing stuff around in a temper tantrum that would shame a toddler.

Being my usual pouty self, I moped around my room hoping Bella would change her mind. The normal time she knocked came and went, and it was verging on one in the morning, so I decided she was really trying to sleep in her own bed and I should probably do the same. I turned off my lights and hopped in bed, tossing and turning for the next thirty minutes because of an obnoxious hard-on. _It's impossible to sleep with those damn things!_

Just as I was about to take matters into my own hands, I heard my doorknob turn and watched Bella quietly sneak into my room and shut my door. I distinctly heard the lock click, but then there was some unidentifiable rustling before she tip-toed over to the bed and snuck under the covers.

Neither of us had said a word throughout this entire exchange and I was sure she thought I was sound asleep by now, so I kept up the charade.

I was lying on my side, facing her with my eyes closed and every few seconds she scooted a little closer to me on the bed. The way she was breathing in fits and starts sounded like she was debating saying something and finally she whispered.

"Edward," long pause, "Edward… are you awake?"

I took a dramatic breath in, opened my eyes, and said, "Yeah. I thought you were sleeping in your bed tonight. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just couldn't get, uh, comfortable. I was hoping you wouldn't mind."

"Nope, not at all. I love it when you sleep in here, you know that."

With that, I reached my hand toward her and rested it on her hip. I felt the tiniest hint of fabric there, but when I went to move my hand up her side, there was nothing but smooth, soft skin. Tracing my fingers up her back, I realized she wasn't even wearing a bra.

_Holy. Freaking. Shit._

"Bella," my voice cracked, "you didn't walk up here like this did you?"

"Of course not. I took off my shirt and pants after I came in." _Ah, the unexplained rustling._ "Why? Do you want me to put them back on?"

I could hear the rejection in her voice.

"No!" I almost screamed as I pulled her flush to my body. _Best move ever!_

With every breath she took, her nipples slid across my bare chest. If I was wrestling an obnoxious hard-on earlier, it was nothing compared to now.

Moving my hand to her lower back, my fingers traced feather light circles that made her squirm. Being in such close proximity meant that any wiggle of her hips created friction for my "little buddy," and I was very grateful for some relief.

I hissed at the contact and Bella smiled seductively before latching her lips to mine and weaving her fingers in my hair. She started kissing me frantically, seeking my tongue and moaning when it finally met hers.

As our mouths danced, I repositioned myself so I was hovering over her, straddling her legs. I broke the kiss, sitting back slightly and stared down at Bella laid out under me. Her eyes were dark and hooded and she licked her lips, biting the bottom one as I ogled her. Dropping my eyes to her chest, I watched it heave with each breath which made her breasts bounce a little. God, I wanted to touch her, but I wanted this to last.

I brought my hands to her face and placed a sweet kiss on her lips, drawing her bottom lip into my mouth and biting gently. She gripped my hair tighter trying to keep me close to her, but I sat back again staring in her eyes. Moving my hands slowly, I trailed my fingertips down her neck and chest, and outlined each breast before resting my hands on her waist.

I bent forward, kissing her cheek and whispered, "Perfect."

Bella shivered and I nipped at the skin under her ear with my teeth. She moaned and pulled my face to her neck. Taking her movement as the "go ahead," I hungrily kissed and nibbled my way down the same path just travelled by my fingers. Instead of outlining each breast, I went straight for the gold. I sought out one nipple and sucked it eagerly into my mouth while caressing her other breast and tweaking her peak with my fingers.

She bucked up against me and gripped my face closer to her chest, causing me to graze her soft mound with my teeth. Bella groaned at the contact and I shifted again, positioning myself between her legs.

Wanting to show each breast equal treatment, I switched sides continuing to suck, bite, and twirl her nipples. Now that I was between her legs, Bella ground her center into me. I could feel her heat and wetness through my pants, and it was awesome!

"Mmm," I moaned into her chest, sending vibrations through her flesh.

"Oh, god," Bella murmured, writhing underneath me.

Needing to feel more of her, I brought my free hand to her side and started moving it slowly toward her hip. When I reached the lace of her panties I hooked my fingers under the edge and teased her skin by moving my hand from hip to hip. She wiggled and squirmed as her breathing picked up, and I let my fingers wander closer to her core.

I slipped one finger through her slick folds and groaned into her chest again. As I pushed into her soft flesh she pulled my face back to hers and attacked my lips with her own. She whimpered into my mouth and I set a steady rhythm with my hand, adding a second finger. Seeking out her clit, I circled it with my thumb and her hips started moving in time with my pulsations.

Bella broke away from our kiss, panting and mewling. I moved to her chest again and returned to pleasuring her taut nipples. Pinching, twisting, sucking, biting.

Through my Bella-induced haze, I failed to notice when she maneuvered her hands and gained access to my pajama pants. I realized this only after she started untying them and I tried to stop her. This was about her, not me, after all.

"Bella, you don't…"

"Shh. I want to," she responded, and proceeded to push my pants down my hips while grabbing my dick at the base.

"Holy shit," I grunted.

She grasped my cock firmly in her hand making me push into her fist. Moving from base to tip, she gathered the pre-cum and swirled it around the tip with her palm. Bella was driving me crazy… fast, and there was no way I was going to blow my load before she finished.

Focusing on her, I curled my fingers up deep inside her as I drew my hand out. Picking up speed, I repeated my movements bringing Bella closer to her release. Her noises were getting louder, so I decided to swallow her cries with my mouth.

Bella was pumping me faster and faster to meet my pace, and we started grunting and grinding, thrusting and pushing.

"Edward… oh… yes!"

"Bella… fuck!"

With one last twist of her nipple and flick of her clit, Bella clamped down around my fingers. Whimpering loudly, she threw her head back into the pillow and closed her eyes, letting the sensation overwhelm her. Watching her face as she came was my undoing and I thrust into her hand as she gripped me tighter, each riding out our own climax.

After coming down from the high, I collapsed next to Bella and kissed her tenderly. Still suffering from my "Bella-coma" I decided it would be a good time to speak.

_Not a good idea, chief._

"Bella, I lov… have to go get you a towel," I stammered, catching myself before saying those three words out loud.

Not that I didn't want to. Not that I didn't mean it. Not that I didn't _feel_ it. But I didn't want to make her freak out and lose all the progress we'd made.

Practically falling off the bed, I pulled up my pants and ran to the bathroom to get a towel so Bella could clean up. When I came back to the room, she had a knowing smile plastered across her face and took the towel to clean my mess off her stomach.

"Edward, it's okay. I do, too," Bella said while I stood next to the bed.

My head spun as I stared at her. I must have looked like an idiot with my mouth hanging open in a lopsided grin, but she just smiled and kissed me as she handed me the spunk towel.

"That was nice," she began. "Maybe I should try to sleep in my own bed more often. Because if it doesn't work out, I can always just come up here and surprise you."

She winked and hopped off the bed, finding her shirt on the floor before slipping it on. Stretching and yawning, she walked back to the bed and jumped in. I couldn't stop gawking at her. My brain wasn't processing coherent thoughts at the moment, so speaking again was out of the question.

Kissing me one last time, Bella rolled onto her side and patted the bed, waiting for me to join her under the covers. She closed her eyes, yawning again and I climbed in next to her. I pulled her close to me and snuggled in for the night.

Bella fell asleep quickly after that, but I couldn't stop running her words over and over again in my head. "_I do, too._"

So simple, yet everything I needed to hear.

/~/+/~/

*~*BPOV*~*

November first. The day after the most gruesome Halloween of my life. The day we figured out what a fucked up bastard Detective Aro truly was. No words could describe the amount of frustration, fear, and loathing I had of that piece of shit.

On the same account, no words could describe the admiration, appreciation, and love I had for my new family. Not only did they know the risks to their own lives and still agreed to keep us, but they had the compassion and strength to help Emmett and I overcome our fears and move on from our past.

We were finally a part of a real family again.

Once the outcasts, the underdogs, the trash that no one wanted, we were now cared for, trusted, and _loved_. We didn't need to fear for our lives, we needed to _live_ our lives. We needed to enjoy our family because who knew how long it would last. But dammit! I was going to make the best of it… and Emmett agreed.

"Bella, I think you need to tell him," Emmett said when I met him in his room after dinner, sitting on the bed next to him.

"I know," I agreed. "He deserves to know, and he deserves to hear it from me. I just don't know if I'm strong enough to get through the whole thing without losing my mind."

"Oh, don't give me that bullshit. You and I both know you're strong. Dr. Whitlock said you've made tremendous progress. He thought it would take us forever to come to terms with our past, but this family has made it so much easier for us to cope." He paused and sighed. "I just think talking to Edward and bringing him into your life will help you more than you know."

"You're right. I will. But what about you? Who are you going to tell? I can't be the only one having all the fun around here."

I jokingly punched his shoulder and he wrapped a huge arm around me, pinning me to his side. He ruffled my hair with his other hand and I wiggled and punched until he let me go.

"Don't worry about me, okay?" he chuckled as he righted me on the bed. "I have a feeling I'll be just fine. Carlisle listens when I ask him, and Alice has been really helpful, too."

"Alice? Really?" I questioned. "I didn't realize you guys ever said more than four words to each other."

"Yeah, she's really cool. And why shouldn't I? You think you're the only one that needs a girl to talk to."

"I'm wounded, Em," I pouted, bringing my hand to my chest, feigning an injury. "Am I not girl enough for you?"

"That's not it," he back-pedaled. "It's just nice to have a different perspective. Someone new, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I just never pinned you for a wuss."

"Fuck you," he laughed and pushed me promptly off the bed, sending me to the floor with a thud. He peered over the edge of the bed at me, smiling and continued, "I never pinned you for a wuss, either."

His words hit me hard. Was I a wuss? I was sure acting like it. Not telling Edward because I was worried he'd reject me was the wimpiest thing about me. I needed to buck up and realize he was worth trusting, he was worth loving, he was worth… everything. And deep inside I knew Edward would listen and accept me no matter how damaged I was. I just needed the courage to get to that point in the first place.

Wallowing in my room the rest of the night, I built up enough resolve to meet Edward in his room. Sure, I was hiding in my comforter, but it was literally my security blanket at the moment.

Patiently, Edward listened to my entire story. He held me as I cried and he soothed my nerves. Telling him was so much easier than I'd anticipated. By the end of my rant, I was kicking myself for not sharing my past with him sooner.

Relief washed over me when he kissed and thanked me for being so brave. He always knew exactly what to say and that night was no different. Feeling rather unsure of myself, I didn't want to be alone after that draining experience and I was grateful he let me sleep in his room.

Of course, that set the ball rolling for an eternal sleep-over that repeated itself night after night. Thankfully, his parents never suspected anything, and dealing with Emmett was easy once I told him to suck it up and take it like a man. Besides, he had Rose now and they made out like horny teenagers any chance they got, which I thought was sort of gross. I mean, sucking face in an old folks home just didn't seem romantic… or sanitary, but whatever.

/~/+/~/

Thanksgiving week started off with a bang. I thought I would try and get some sleep in my own room to no avail. But all was not lost. Sneaking in on Edward in the middle of the night proved to be more than worth it.

_Damn, that boy has skills!_

The next couple of nights were much the same. I'd sneak up to his room after the rest of the house was quiet and we'd feverishly grope at each other until we were completely blissed out. The mornings after were always comical, too. I'd leave before dawn and Edward would be my look out until he watched me slip back into my room. And it never failed that Emmett would pop his head out of his door at the noise. He'd just roll his eyes, shake his head, and retreat back to safety. _I think I'm gonna give him a heart-attack one of these days._

By Tuesday, we got news that Rose would be home by Thanksgiving, but she wanted us to visit her before she was released. She swore it was important and couldn't wait until we saw her at home. As much as I loved talking with Rose, I hated feeling like I smelled like decaying flesh by the time we left the rehab facility. But we all went and met Rose anyway, and no one was prepared for what she had to tell us.

"I told him I was pregnant," Rose cried as she looked up at Emmett. "And… and…" she sniffled, looking around, "the doctors said I lost the baby."

Emmett quickly pulled her into his chest and her body shook with sobs.

Edward looked down at me and wiped my cheeks with his thumbs. I hadn't even realized I was crying, and he brought his arm around my shoulder squeezing me to his side. I glanced over at Alice and Jasper on the window seat and noticed she was crying, too, and Jasper was trying to comfort her.

I gained Alice's attention and she nodded over to me. We both disentangled ourselves from our boys and walked slowly to Rose's bedside. Alice cautiously reached forward and placed her hand on Rose's back as I did the same and rested my hand on her shoulder. Rose peeked up from Emmett's chest, wiped her eyes, and patted the bed for us to sit. We quickly took positions on either side of her and wrapped her in huge hugs, which made us all start blubbering like fools. It was actually really awkward because Emmett wouldn't let Rose go, but we managed to convey how sorry we felt for her.

After about ten minutes of being weepy messes, Rose broke us apart when she shifted on the bed. Alice ran her fingers lovingly through Rose's long hair, and I rubbed slow circles on her back. Emmett gripped Rose's hands and held them in his lap while he mumbled curse words under his breath. Jasper and Edward were speaking quietly in the corner until Rose started talking again.

"He beat me so badly that the baby never had a chance. The way my pelvis broke was critical to the progression of the pregnancy. It caused my ovary on that side to burst and the fallopian tube was torn. The top of the uterus was also damaged, but there's only minimal scarring left now.

"Dr. Richards, the OB/GYN, said I was almost eight weeks along when it happened, and that time of development is so critical that even if it would have survived, it may not have been a healthy baby."

All of us sniffled as Rose told more of her story. We couldn't understand why Royce could be so cold-hearted.

"I guess it's good, though," Rose justified as Emmett wiped more tears from her face. "I didn't truly love him like I thought, and he never would have supported me or the baby. Everything happens for a reason, right?"

Alice and I nodded in response.

"He's lucky he killed himself," Emmett murmured as his cheeks flushed red. "He'd be a dead man for sure if he hadn't."

Rose smiled gently up at him and he leaned in kissing her forehead.

I really did like seeing them together. My brother deserved to have someone just as much as I did, and I was so glad it was Rose. She was quickly becoming a good friend and Emmett was crazy about her. Plus, it took his focus off of me and Edward, which was an added bonus.

Emmett made faster progress in his sessions with Dr. Whitlock after meeting Rose, and I was happy to see that. He played the tough guy a lot and I think Rose showed him that he didn't have to be that all the time. After she drew out his softer side, he really opened up and shared everything during his sessions. He seemed more relaxed and less stressed, and we both felt relieved that we could move on and _just be_.

"Well, that's all I feel like sharing tonight, guys," said Rose, smiling lovingly at all of us. "Thanks for coming up here on such late notice, but I had to get that off my mind before we get together at my house on Thursday."

"Ooh! We're going to your house this year for Thanksgiving. I forgot," squealed Alice. "I'm so excited! You have the best game room."

Emmett's eyes lit up. "You have a game room? And it's better than Edward's?"

"Hell yeah!" interrupted Edward. "They've got a room that's three times the size of ours. There's pinball, skee ball, foosball, every game system imaginable, and they have two arcade style racing games where you actually drive the freaking cars!"

"Holy crap!" Emmett and Jasper yelled at the same time.

"I know," Edward replied giving fist pumps to both boys.

Rose, Alice, and I looked at each other and shook our heads. "Boys," we snickered simultaneously.

/~/+/~/

Thanksgiving Day was cold and rainy, but everyone was excited to see Rose back at home. Edward and Esme had been awake since four AM making side dishes to take that evening and the house smelled amazing. They even had time to make his famous cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and my knees went weak when he gave me my plate.

He'd made mine extra goopy with icing and had to suck some off his thumb after handing it to me. Then he winked and flashed his crooked smile, and I almost passed out on the spot. But I took my plate to the living room and watched the parade on TV with Alice like a good girl instead of ogling Edward at work in the kitchen.

After lunch Alice decided it was time for us to get changed and doll ourselves up for dinner. I actually liked Alice telling me what to wear because then I didn't have to worry about it. She always made me look super hot, so I wasn't concerned that she'd let me down. And I knew it would be better than whatever I would've chosen for myself, so I just relaxed and enjoyed the primping.

The only anxiety I was feeling about the day was Edward. He seemed off the past couple of days, constantly tugging at his hair and rubbing his eyes, even rolling his neck back in forth like he was hurting. Almost like he was trying to get rid of a headache. I asked him if anything was wrong, but he just smiled and played it off like it was stress from midterms coming up. I wasn't too sure, though. He'd spent more time alone in his room lately, and I'd never seen anyone take so many ibuprofen in my life. It was unsettling to say the least. But I trusted him and I really hoped he trusted me enough to tell me the truth.

We arrived at Rose's house a little after three in the afternoon and just hung out for a while. Jake and Leah tagged along, but when Esme insisted they join us for dinner, they politely declined and paroled the outside of the house instead.

Rose was still wearing her braces, and said she'd have to wear them for several more months until she was fully healed. Despite the braces and the hobbling around, she looked amazing in her couture dress. We watched the boys play in the game room and giggled to ourselves at how many times we caught them staring. We looked damn good and we knew it.

Around five, Carlisle called us to the dining room for dinner. The table was set up beautifully, and I was afraid to touch anything for fear it would ruin the perfectness of it all. Everyone picked a seat around the table, and I ended up sitting between Emmett and Edward.

We talked and laughed while we ate, but I kept watching Edward. He kept shaking his head like he was trying to clear his thoughts, and he'd blink several times before rubbing on his forehead and running his fingers through his hair. Carlisle was watching him, too, and eventually Edward tried to join the conversation.

"Dad," he yelled, gripping the table and staring straight ahead, "lights."

And that was it. His eyes started closing and opening in rapid succession, and his lips were twitching. He lost his grip on the table and fell into my lap. I grabbed under his arms and the weight of him on my lap caused us both to slip out of the chairs and land on the floor. I cradled his head in my lap and watched helplessly as he started foaming at the mouth. His entire body convulsed and he began making random incoherent noises. I looked up nervously at Carlisle and saw the last expression I ever wanted to see… fear.

_Oh, no! He's dying!_

_

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_**A/N: Okay, so don't all go throwing stones at me. The next chapter is already started, and I hope to update in the next week. On a positive note, Bella and Emmett have made some outstanding progress in their recoveries and seem to be finally moving on from their past.**

**I'm sure you all have questions and concerns, so please send them my way and review! I will tell you as much as I can without ruining the story, but I assure you I will not draw this out painfully. Theories on Edward's condition are also greatly appreciated. And I think I'll be sending out some teasers, too, just because I'm nice like that.  
**

**Loves and Hugs,**

**M ;)  
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	21. Confession

**A/N: Hello again! I won't make this long, but I have to say thank you to all my wonderful readers for the reviews, alerts, and favorites. Keep 'em coming! ::TWSS::**

**Special thanks to Sunflowerfields for supporting me and sharing her beautiful story with me. Love you, babe! These next few chapters are for you!**

**Thanks to the betas: Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen. You're simply the best!**

**Warning: Graphic scene of a seizure below. If you or a loved one has ever experienced a seizure, please read with caution.**

_**Items with an asterisk (*) have definitions down below.**_

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I get to see some scary things as a pediatric nurse. ****©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

Shock. Panic. Confusion. Fear.

"He's having a seizure!" Esme screamed, jumping up from her seat and knocking her chair to the floor.

Everyone but me stood up, backing toward the walls. Chaos surrounded us but no one was moving. Edward's random movements were making me shake with him, and drool was starting to drip out of the corners of his mouth and onto my lap. His face continued to twitch, his arms and legs trembled in an untimely rhythm, and he kept making terrifying, unearthly noises.

"Alice, call 9-1-1… Now!" yelled Carlisle, running over to Edward. "Esme, do we still have any Diastat*? We need it or he'll go status* like last time."

Alice and Jasper catapulted out of the room and raced for the phone in the kitchen.

"I… I… yes, but I'm not sure if it's expired or not." Esme wrung her hands, standing in place, tears streaming down her face.

"Just get it!" Carlisle shouted and Esme flew out of the room.

"Bella," Carlisle turned to me frantically, "we need to flip Edward onto his side so the secretions fall out of his mouth. We don't want him to choke."

I immediately started helping Carlisle move him. I went to get up and lay Edward's head on the floor, but Carlisle gripped my arm, keeping me in place.

"No. You have to keep his head safe. Wait until we can get a pillow."

"I'm on it," Emmett chimed in, sprinting for the stairs. Rose and her parents filed quietly out of the room leaving Carlisle and me behind with Edward.

Esme and Emmett returned within seconds, and Carlisle repositioned Edward while I scooted to the wall and stood up.

"Emmett and Bella, go get Jake. I'll need him to help me hold Edward," Carlisle said as he struggled to keep Edward safe and in his grasp.

Esme knelt down beside them, handing over the tube of medication. "It expires this month," she sniffled.

"Fine," Carlisle snapped coldly. "We'll have to wait for Jake then you can give it to him." He closed his eyes briefly and shook his head, then he looked up at Emmett and me still standing in the room. "Didn't I just say get Jake? Go!"

We hurried out of the room and quickly found Jake and Leah standing on the front porch.

"Jake, Carlisle needs you to help him in the dining room," Emmett shouted. "Edward's shaking all over and they have to give him medicine."

Jake bolted into the house and I finally broke down. Trembling and bawling I slumped down in a heap on the porch. Emmett lifted me up, carrying me back into the house, and Leah followed us into the kitchen.

"Leah," Alice shrieked, "can you wait by the end of the driveway for the ambulance?"

"Of course," she responded and turned for the door while speaking into her ear piece.

"Oh, Bella," Alice whimpered and I felt her tiny hands on my back. "Look at me… please."

Quivering from my sobs, I turned to face Alice. Emmett set me down and Alice automatically pulled me in for a hug. I could still hear Edward making incomprehensible noises in the dining room, and I wondered if the medication was going to work or not.

"What the fuck was that?" I screamed, pointing to the dining room, pleading with my eyes for her to tell me.

"I… still… can't," Alice sighed, pushing some fallen hair behind my ear. "He'll have to tell you, Bella. I'm so sorry."

"But what if he can't? What if he d-" I stopped, cringing at the definitiveness of the word. "Why didn't he tell me before? What's he so afraid of?"

Alice simply shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. Then her head snapped in the direction of the dining room, and we could hear Carlisle speaking softly to Edward.

"Don't move. Just relax. The ambulance is on its way. Do you need anything?"

"Tired," Edward mumbled, barely audible.

"Then sleep," Carlisle whispered.

Alice led me into the dining room just as Esme was placing a blanket over Edward. He looked exhausted. Sweat was dripping down the sides of his face and Carlisle was cradling him in his lap. Esme sat down next to them on the floor and ran her fingers through Edward's hair. He looked so vulnerable, so fragile, so broken.

Standing frozen in the doorway looking down at Edward's helpless body, my heart ached for him. But why did I feel so betrayed?

/~/+/~/

After Edward was stabilized at the local hospital, he was transported by helicopter to Seattle Children's. Esme and Carlisle promised they would call Alice with more updates and we could visit him in the morning, but they wouldn't allow us to follow them to the hospital that night.

The next morning Alice got a call around six thirty and we all hopped in Jake's Hummer to make the almost four hour drive to Seattle. The hospital was overwhelmingly confusing, but Alice seemed to know exactly where she was going.

"Mom said they transferred him up to a room after he spent some time in the ER," Alice informed as Emmett, Jasper, and I followed closely behind her with Jake and Leah in tow. As we weaved through the halls Alice murmured, "I think he's gonna be here for a while."

"Why can't you just tell us which floor he's on?" I questioned. I was really getting pissed off at all the evasiveness, but one thing I learned about Alice was that she was loyal to a fault, and there was no way she'd tell someone else's secret.

We piled into the elevator and she pressed the button for the oncology* floor, shaking her head and running her fingers through her hair. My stomach lurched as my anxiety spiked, and I started grilling Alice with questions again.

"He's been here before, hasn't he?" I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed in defiance. "That's why you know your way around here so well. That's why you know he'll be here for a while."

"Bella!" Alice fumed, turning to me with fire in her eyes, pointing a finger in my face. "Look. I'm not going to tell you any more than I have to. We didn't force you to tell your past, yet you're trying to pry this out of me. Don't think I won't kick your ass if he asks me to. And if you don't stop asking me questions, I won't take you to his room. So shut the hell up and just be there for him, okay?"

I held up my hands in mock surrender and backed away from her slowly. Finding out what was wrong with Edward was a top priority at this point, but she made a very valid point. I was trying to pry answers out of her and I was ready to do the same when I talked to him. _Way to be a fucking hypocrite, Bella._

The Cullen's had been nothing but accepting of Emmett and me, never pushing us to tell, always waiting for us to make the first move to say anything. And here I was ready to rip them limb from limb until they divulged everything they knew.

Resolving to keep my mouth shut until Edward was ready to share, I sighed and leaned against the elevator wall until we arrived on the oncology floor. I could feel my heart rate increase as the doors opened slowly, and I fisted my hands to keep them from shaking from nervousness. We followed Alice as she checked us in at the desk then made our way to his room.

Esme was sitting next to Edward's bed, holding his hand and resting her head on his pillow. Carlisle was on the opposite side, rubbing his face with his hands. They both looked exhausted and had dark circles under their eyes from lack of sleep. Carlisle noticed us first and nodded tiredly, motioning for us to come in. Esme lifted her head off of Edward's pillow and softly smiled when she saw us.

Edward never flinched. He was lying on his side facing the door, and he _looked_ sick. His complexion was so pale that he was almost transparent, and he had a tube in his nose giving him oxygen. Every breath he took was shallow, and it seemed like even that was taking a lot of effort. A monitor at his bedside kept track of his heart rate and oxygen level, and an IV in his arm was clicking as it infused fluids. The rails of his bed had big blue pads* on them with cut outs where the bed controls were located.

"Come on in and have a seat, guys," said Carlisle, standing up from his chair. "I'm going to go down and get some coffee and food for me and Mom. Does anyone else want anything?"

We all shook our heads and walked slowly into the room. Leah stayed out in the hallway and Jake followed Carlisle down to the cafeteria.

After sitting down on the window seat, I turned to Alice next to me and noticed she looked just as pale as Edward. Her face was blank and a single tear crept down her cheek. Sitting on the other side of Alice, Emmett reached over and put an arm around her shoulder. She covered her face with her hands and quietly sobbed as Esme came over to comfort her.

When Esme moved away from Edward's bed, he shifted and moaned, scrunching up his face. Esme nodded to me when I stood up, offering her my seat next Alice. She pushed my back gently and waived me to Edward's side. Anxiously shuffling to his bed I took Esme's seat and grabbed his hand with mine.

Edward stopped moaning automatically at the contact and his face relaxed completely. He quit moving and slowly opened his eyes, looking up at me with extreme exhaustion. I smiled warmly and rubbed my thumb over the back of his hand and he squeezed my fingers with his.

"Hey," I whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"Hey," he sighed and tried to roll over, but stopped mid-movement with a groan.

"Don't move. What do you need? I can get it," I rambled, beginning to worry.

I still wasn't sure what was wrong with Edward, but I was positive he should be resting with as weak as he looked. One thing was certain, I'd take care of this boy no matter what, and I was going to start right now. I didn't even care that he was hiding this from me. It was out in the open now and he'd have to tell me sooner than later, and I could wait a while longer.

"My back is starting to hurt, but I'm so tired that I don't think I can move on my own." He paused and took several rapid breaths before continuing. "See, even talking is draining."

"Okay, um… can you tell me how to help you?" I questioned.

"I guess you could just kinda push me onto my back. Get Mom to help you."

Esme quickly came to the bed and helped me reposition Edward. He hummed in relief and closed his eyes. I started to walk back over to the window seat to let him rest, but he opened his eyes and reached his hand out to me and smiled sadly.

"Can you just sit here with me for awhile?" he pleaded. "Mom needs to rest and I want to hold your hand."

I felt tears well up in my eyes at how thoughtful he was being. He wasn't thinking about himself at all. He was putting others first and that astounded me. If I was that sick, I'd be sucking up all the attention I could get, making others do everything for me, not worrying about them. Yet, Edward was making sure Esme was getting her rest, too, and that made him all the more adorable.

Taking the seat next to his bed again I took his hand and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," we both said in unison.

Edward chuckled softly. "Why are you saying 'thank you,' Bella? I haven't done anything but be an ass lately, and I'm sor-"

"Edward, don't," I interrupted. "You don't have to be sorry. I said 'thank you' because you're being the sweetest person ever right now, and it's making me realize what's important. So, thanks." I bent forward and murmured in his ear, "And you need to rest because you look like shit."

We both laughed and he turned to kiss me. It was a short, sweet kiss, but it was perfect.

"You won't leave, right?"

"Nope. I'm here until your parents make me leave… or until I have to pee, but I'll let you know before I move, okay?" I justified, giggling as he smiled and closed his eyes.

He was asleep before I took my next breath and Esme came back over and rested her hand on my shoulder.

"He's always this tired after a seizure," she started. "They really take his strength away. I'm just glad the Diastat worked so fast."

I bit my tongue as I stared up at her. What I really wanted to do was ask eighty million questions, but if this was his normal course after a seizure then that would have to satisfy me for now.

"He'll tell you, Bella. I know you're freaking out, but let him rest and get some strength back first. Besides, if he doesn't… I will." She smiled down at me and yawned. "And you're welcome to stay until visiting hours are over. Carlisle arranged for you all to stay in a hotel over the next couple of days so you don't have to travel all the way from home. But we'll expect you to go back during the week for school. Make sense?"

I nodded. Esme and Carlisle were nothing but practical, and I figured they wouldn't let us stray too far from our normal routines. But I'd be sure to visit on the weekends and call him every chance I got.

The rest of the day was much the same. Esme and Carlisle took turns sleeping on the window seat, and Emmett and Alice went for walks to blow off steam. Edward was sleeping on and off with me holding his hand and I wasn't sure who it was more comforting to, him or me. But I wouldn't let go for a second.

As visiting hours came to a close, Carlisle and Esme wished us goodnight and I kissed Edward on the forehead to wake him up. The pink was starting to return to his cheeks and his breathing seemed much less labored than earlier in the day.

He stretched and opened his eyes, smiling brightly at me. "You stayed for me and I slept the whole time. I wish I could have talked to you more."

"No problem," I returned. "I was happy just to hold your hand. Besides, I wasn't expecting you to be the life of the party after what happened, and the sleep seemed to make you feel better. Anyway, we'll be back tomorrow morning and you'll have the whole night to rest up in preparation."

Edward flushed slightly and started looking sheepish. "Uh, yeah. About that. I…"

"Really, it's okay. I don't want to know what's going on until you tell me anyway. I'd rather you told me than anyone else and I'll wait until you're ready. No rush."

He sat up and pulled me down to him, giving me a huge hug and whispered in my ear, "Thank you. But promise me you won't be scared. It will only make me worry more about you."

I hugged him back and said, "As far as I know, I have nothing to be scared about."

Standing back from him, I plastered the biggest smile I could muster onto my face. My statement couldn't have been further from the truth, but there was no way he was going to see me freaking out. I turned for the door to leave with the others, and as soon as we hit the elevator I burst into tears.

/~/+/~/

The next morning we arrived promptly at eight AM. Mostly because I was bugging everyone to leave and they finally couldn't stand it anymore, but who's keeping track? Edward was awake and eating breakfast in bed when we came into the room. He no longer had the tube in his nose and he wasn't hooked up to the fluids either. We watched him quietly from the door, and he didn't seem nearly as fatigued as yesterday.

"Oh, hey guys," he smiled brightly. "Come on in. I made Mom and Dad go down and eat, but I'd love company if you want to stick around."

Alice ran over to Edward and wrapped her tiny arms around his shoulders. She squeezed him so hard I thought his eyes might actually pop out of his head. Then without saying a word, she stood back, hauled off, and punched him in the arm.

"Ouch, bitch!" Edward cursed, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"Some warning would have been nice, that's all," she retorted. "I just hope you're ready for the 'Spanish Inquisition.'"

She tilted her head toward me and stomped over to the window seat, plopping down and pulling a magazine out of her bag. She wildly started flipping through the pages, crinkling them as much as possible.

"Hey, man," Emmett began, walking over and patting Edward on the back. "Glad to see you're looking better." He eyed Edward's plate, and continued, "Are you gonna finish those eggs? Bella wouldn't let me eat my cereal this morning."

Edward shook his head and laughed, handing Emmett the plate as he smiled crookedly at me.

"I plead the fifth," was all I could think to say, and I quickly took my seat next to Edward.

"Wanted to see me that badly, huh?" Edward asked, grabbing my hand and kissing my fingers.

"No, I just couldn't wait to stare at these four walls again," I snickered. "I missed them dearly."

He raised his eyebrow and smiled, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you."

I stiffened and Alice quit rustling her magazine pages and looked at me. All the color drained from my face and the room started spinning a little. I wasn't sure if I was ready for this yet. Yeah, I wanted to know, but to throw it out there like that when I least expected it was a daunting prospect.

Trying to calm my nerves I took in a deep breath and held it, counting to ten. I let the air out slowly and watched the room steady around me. Alice and Edward were staring at me, waiting for me to break the silence.

"I just… um, wasn't expecting that yet," I recovered. "But if you're ready, then I am, too." _As ready as I'll ever be._

"You don't look too sure, Bella," Edward scoffed. "I don't have to do this now. I just thought you'd want to know."

"I do!" I shouted, startling everyone and making Emmett chuckle. "I'm a little nervous, that's all, but I'm here to listen as long as you need me."

Edward breathed deeply and gave Alice one last glance before beginning. "Well, when I was nine years old I started losing my balance a lot. Dad and I were riding our bikes through the woods one day and I kept falling off. I'd never fallen off my bike before, so that's when he started thinking something was wrong, but I refused to go to the doctor because I didn't want to get a shot."

He paused and half smiled, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"Over the next couple of weeks, I started getting headaches and puking when I woke up in the morning. It was right after school started back in session, so Mom and Dad just thought I'd caught a virus and it would go away. Unfortunately, it didn't work that way and I started losing weight pretty fast. Again, we just thought it was because of the virus and tried to wait it out.

"Then I was at school one day and completely blacked out when I was walking through the lunch line. There was no warning whatsoever, and the poor lunch ladies thought I'd died. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the school nurse's office with my Dad standing over me and Mom bawling in the corner. They took me to the ER that time and the pediatrician said I just needed some IV fluids and more protein in my diet and everything would be fine.

"So, I went home and Dad insisted I stay there until I started getting better. But my body was already sick, and after three days at home I had my first seizure. No one was prepared and I ended up seizing for almost forty-five minutes. That's how long it took for Dad to drive to the ER, have the pediatrician tell him it was related to the virus, and for him to lose his shit and demand helicopter transport to Seattle Children's. I was immediately placed in the PICU* and sedated. I was intubated and doped up for a few days until they could wean me off the machines and meds without me having another seizure."

I could feel tears falling down my cheeks, but I wasn't going to stop Edward. He gently wiped them off my cheeks and Alice pulled a chair next to mine, laying her head on my shoulder.

"Mom went crazy, Alice was scared, and Dad was pissed beyond reason. He was so mad at himself for not demanding answers when we went to the ER the first time. I think he took it the worst when they finally figured out what was wrong."

Edward stopped again and handed me a tissue. He hadn't even told me the whole story and I was already losing my mind with worry.

"When I was sedated, the doctors did several scans and tests to see what was causing my symptoms. Thankfully, they figured it out pretty fast and could localize it to one part of my body. On the other hand, the diagnosis was a little more than disturbing."

He took in another deep breath and Alice gripped my shoulders tightly. "They figured out I had a cerebellar astrocytoma, or a brain tumor."

The room started spinning again, but this time I couldn't get it to stop. I lowered my head to my knees and tried to breathe slowly.

"Bella?" Alice, Edward, and Emmett all said at the same time.

I attempted an answer, but the next thing I knew I was running to the bathroom in a haze, hoping I'd make it there before losing my breakfast.

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**Diastat****: Prescription medication known as diazepam that is used in seizure or epileptic disorders. It is given rectally and is fast acting. It is easy to use and families keep it stocked and with them at all times in case of a breakthrough seizure. It can sometimes stop the progression of a seizure from becoming status.**

**Status****: Shortened version of "status epilepticus" or "status seizure" which essentially means the seizure just keeps going and going and cannot be stopped unless major medical interventions take place.**

**Oncology****: Essentially meaning "the study of a mass or tumor," oncology is the study of cancer. The oncology unit Edward is staying at is the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) Patient Care Unit at Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle Washington, one of the leading pediatric oncology units in the US.**

**Blue pads****: These are seizure pads used in "seizure precautions" in a hospital setting. They help to protect the patient from injury in the event they have a seizure. Here is the link to a pic: www(dot)rehabmart(dot)com/product/posey-seizure-side-rail-pads-for-versacare-medical-surgical-beds-31850(dot)html**

**PICU****: Pediatric intensive care unit.**

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**A/N: Well, there you have it. We know what's going on with Edward and why he's been having headaches, dizziness, blacking out, and the seizure. A lot of the readers figured out that Edward was having a seizure from last chapter, and a few even figured out a close diagnosis. Awesome job, lovelies! More about what happened after his initial diagnosis next chapter.**

**I also had some questions from last chapter concerning the presentation of Edward's seizure. Everyone experiences a seizure differently, and each seizure a person has may be unique, as well. As a pediatric nurse, I witnessed a seizure like this, and that's why I chose to use it here. The "lights" Edward saw were an aura that not all individuals experience before their seizures. Auras can happen immediately prior to an attack or seconds and minutes before it occurs. Also, the foaming at the mouth is how and outsider would perceive excess secretions that may be produced during a seizure. The affected individual loses their ability to swallow during a seizure and the secretions, or spit, flows out of their mouth and can appear foamy. We want to make sure they are on their sides so these secretions flow out of the mouth and not down their throat or into their lungs, creating the opportunity for aspiration pneumonia, or choking. If we are not fast about this, the patient can get too many secretions into their lungs and essentially drown. Another problem during seizures is the lack of blood flow and oxygen to the brain. That's why we want to stop the seizure activity as quickly as possible and normally have to administer oxygen after an event. Also, the extreme tiredness he experiences is known as postictal fatigue and is common. Again, every seizure is unique and this is just one representation of a grand mal seizure.**

**Also, I wanted to say please don't be mad at Carlisle for the way he's acting. It's part of the healing/acceptance process and anger can be a first stage. More on that later.**

**I haven't decided if I'll send out a teaser this time around, but I love hearing your thoughts! Please leave me love! ;)  
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	22. Regret

**A/N: Welcome back, all my lovelies! I have to tell you how freaking excited I am with all the new alerts, favorites, and reviews! I was featured in the Under the Radar section of The Twilight Awards dot com and have tons of new readers. More info and links on my profile.**

**With that being said, this story now has almost 1100 reviews on my three posting sites combined! You all make me super squee! Love to all! ;)**

**Big thanks to my betas Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen. Without your expertise, this story wouldn't go anywhere.**

**Another big shout out to Sunflowerfields for being the most amazing lady ever! This is for you, babe!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I just found out I'm gonna have boy number three! I see lots of burping contests in my future. The hubs owes me big time. ****©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*EPOV*~*

No words could describe the fuckfest my life had turned into. Stunned silence was a much better representation at this point, but even that was proving to have its consequences. Apparently, neglecting to acknowledge my recurring symptoms was a bad idea. _Who knew?_

I guess now that everything had turned upside down I would have to stop being such a pussy. It was time for me to own up to my past… since it so eloquently decided to bite me in the ass. Just as Bella and I were really getting into a nice, healthy groove, my tumor decided to come back and screw me over. And I hadn't grown enough balls to tell her about it, so of course she freaked out when all the shit went down.

The last thing I remembered was my aura. _Damn lights._ I'd avoided them for almost nine full years and they thought a peaceful Thanksgiving dinner was a perfect time to reintroduce themselves. Fortunately, I never remember the actual seizure, but the extreme weakness that follows I could seriously live without.

Waking up on the floor after the event, barely able to open my eyes with Bella no longer by my side, made my heart sink. And it wasn't because I knew I'd have to go through all the tests and pokes and surgery, but I realized I'd betrayed Bella by not trusting her enough to share my past. _Yep, major dickwad._

I heard feet shuffling around me and Dad whispering as I laid there motionless on Rose's dining room floor, but everything else was a blur. At one point I think I mumbled something about being tired, but I'm not sure. After I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, I woke up at Seattle Children's. Apparently, I'd been answering questions the entire time without being conscious of it, and I was in the MRI scanner when I came to. It scared the shit out of me since I thought I was still at Rose's house, but Mom raced to my side when I started moving on the table, trying to escape. She calmed me down immediately, and again I fell into a deep sleep.

Like I said, the exhaustion was ridiculous. It lasted for almost twenty-four hours, and I was constantly going in and out of a deep sleep. Even though my body was sleeping I never felt completely rested, so when the overwhelming tiredness passed, I ended up sleeping throughout the night and feeling better the next morning.

Things weren't any different this time around. I remember Bella visiting and staying by my bedside while she held my hand, but our conversations were fuzzy and I hoped I didn't say anything I'd regret later. Then she came back in the morning with Alice and Emmett, and I was feeling anxious about what I knew I had to do, but at least I wasn't as groggy. Now, I just had to tell Bella what the fuck happened and why.

Taking the "get it all out at once" approach, I jumped right into telling her everything. The faster you take off the band-aid, the less it hurts, right? Not really. It still ends up stinging like a mother fucker, and just leaves you with a hairless patch where the band-aid used to be.

And so it was with Bella. I could tell she was getting increasingly panicked, but I figured I should keep going to get it all over with. Probably not the best idea to overload her with all that information at once, but she wasn't asking me to stop and I was on a roll.

I'd gotten way ahead of myself and Bella was feeling the strain. Running to the bathroom with me and Alice close behind her, she spewed what looked to be the entire contents of her breakfast and possibly her dinner from the night before. I pulled her hair off her shoulders and held it back, waiting for her to stop retching long enough to ask her if she was all right.

"Ugh… you don't need to see this," Bella moaned, still staring into the toilet. "I'll be fine. Just give me a second."

She waved me and Alice away, and Alice walked out quietly, but I wasn't budging. This was definitely my problem, too. I was the dumbass who decided to keep my past a secret, and now that everything was out in the open, she was suffering the consequences more than me.

"I'm not going anywhere, Bella," I said, sweeping more loose strands of hair up into the makeshift ponytail. "I feel terrible about this. You shouldn't have to deal with all of my shit, especially the way it's been shoved at you."

She scooted around and stood up slowly. Turning, she braced herself on the sink and took several deep breaths. I was trying to be patient, but the longer she avoided me, the more I worried she was really going to run away screaming.

"So, you have a brain tumor?" Bella murmured, wiping her mouth, starting to look slightly pinker in her cheeks.

"Uh, yeah," I returned. "But we don't have to talk about it anymore. We can wait until you're feeling better."

"We may as well do this now," she argued, spinning to face me and looked up into my eyes. I dropped her hair and she smiled sadly, a single tear falling down her cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb and she leaned into my hand, closing her eyes. I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips and she surprised me with a rib crushing hug. She buried her face in the crook of my neck and wept quietly.

"Bella, please don't cry," I tried to soothe her, running my fingers through her hair and holding her closely. "Don't be afraid of the diagnosis, okay?"

"I'm not afraid of the diagnosis," she sniffled, rubbing her eyes on my shirt. "I'm afraid of losing you. I can't handle that pain again."

She looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes. I could see the worry, the hurt, the pain she was already experiencing. It shattered my heart to see her this way, and I felt even worse that it was because of me that she was in agony.

"I'm not going anywhere," I countered, wiping more tears from her face. "I survived this once, and I'll do it again." I paused, looking deeper into her eyes, searching for signs of her bolting for the door. But she just smiled up at me and started walking back into the room, pulling me by the hand.

Alice and Emmett were sitting on the window seat talking softly. They watched Bella warily as she dragged me back to the bed, forcing me to lie back down. She appeared to be on a mission which was slightly intriguing.

"Okay, tumor boy," Bella joked as she plopped down in the chair next to the bed. "Give me the rest of it. I need to hear this so I know what I'm in for. I'm not going anywhere either, so I need to be prepared for what's ahead."

I was stunned. It was like a complete turnaround from ten minutes ago. She was still flushed from crying, but she looked calmer than I'd seen her in a long time. I was comforted just knowing she was going to be by my side through this ordeal, and relief washed over me as she grabbed my hand and squeezed.

"You fascinate me, Bella." It was the only thing I could think to say at the moment. And it was true. Whatever was going on in her head convinced her that she was ready for this ride no matter how crazy it would get.

"Just hurry up before I change my mind," Bella snickered, and Alice smiled, shook her head, and relaxed back against the window.

"All right, well, um…" I stumbled over my words, regaining my composure. "So, the doctor's had just figured out I had a brain tumor. Fortunately for me, it was a Grade I pilocytic astrocytoma. Basically that means is the tumor is low grade and slow growing. It also has the best prognosis out of all the cerebellar astrocytomas, giving me a better chance of survival.

"After the diagnosis was confirmed, we were bombarded with about sixty doctors and nurses. Well, maybe not sixty. It just seemed like that many because they descended on us like vultures on their prey. Very overwhelming to say the least. I had three oncologists, one neurologist, two neurosurgeons, two pediatric nurse practitioners, and too many nurses to count. They all checked on me periodically throughout my course of treatment and recovery."

Stopping, I searched Bella's face for any signs of distress. She simply smiled and squeezed my hand again, urging me to continue. _Incredible._

"The week after getting my diagnosis was scary. I remember shutting down and feeling like I'd disappointed my family… especially Dad. He was upset with himself, but he wasn't talking to anyone besides the doctors, so I thought he was mad at me. I closed myself off and barely talked to anyone, only answering questions that were specifically directed at me. Even then I would say just two or three words. I figured breaking myself away from the family would make it better when I was really gone.

"The nurses were the first ones to notice I was depressed. I guess they'd been around enough kids with cancer to recognize the warning signs, and they tried to cheer me up. They played video games, did crafts, one nurse even taught me how to play the guitar. But the best thing they did was made Dad talk to me and explain his feelings.

"He explained that his anger wasn't directed at me, but at himself for not taking me to get checked out sooner. He was so livid with himself for not recognizing the symptoms earlier and because he couldn't help me. His feeling of helplessness transferred into outward anger, but after he discussed everything with me, he finally broke down and we cried it out together."

I could feel my voice beginning to crack, so I took a second to collect myself before continuing. I didn't want Bella to see me cry, not because I thought it might make me seem wimpy, but because I didn't want to see her cry again. So I kept my emotions to myself and went on with my story.

"After the talk with Dad, we both started acting more reasonable. I was fractionally happier, and he started smiling again. I think knowing how Dad reacts has helped me this time around. Sure he's pissed, but I know it's not at me… well, not entirely, at least."

Bella gave me a confused look. "Wait. What do you mean 'not entirely?'"

"Uh, I'm pretty much the reason my symptoms got this far." I swallowed reflexively as I realized everyone was staring at me intently. "Mom and Dad have been monitoring my symptoms for a couple months now and have noticed the same cycle as before. Mom was counting my ibuprofen use and Dad noticed my lack of coordination on the soccer field. After I passed out in the kitchen, Dad tried to get me in for another CT scan, but I wouldn't let him. He respected my decision, but now I think he's regretting it terribly because he knows we could have caught the tumor progression then. It never would have gotten this far if I'd listened to him."

I dropped my face and shook my head as I watched Bella's fingers grip my hand tighter. Glancing over at Alice and Emmett, I realized they didn't look too happy with me. Actually, Alice looked really pissed off and Emmett looked shocked, then betrayed, then pissed off. Peering back at Bella I saw her bottom lip trembling like she wanted to cry, but no one was saying anything. I decided that was a good time to just pass over my stupidity and move on with everything.

"But I was an idiot and thought the symptoms would just go away. And they did for awhile which made me think they were just related to senior-year stress. But denial's a bitch and I'm so sorry for stringing you all along and making you suffer. I never should have waited this long, but I appreciate all of your support."

Alice started sniffling and Emmett was comforting her. Bella joined soon after and I was surrounded by two hormonal teenage girls bawling and tossing a tissue box back and forth. I pulled Bella up into the bed next to me and cradled her next to my body while I finished as their crying slowed.

"Throughout the craziness of figuring out what was wrong with me, we spoke about treatment plans. The oncologists and nurse practitioners knew surgery was the best option, so they consulted with the neurosurgeons to get the ball rolling. The neurosurgeons came in the next day and examined me, looked over my scans, and decided a plan for surgery. They didn't want to waste any time because they didn't want me to repeat my seizure and end up spending more time in the PICU. So they had me in surgery within the next three days after an extensive preparation on their part.

"I went into surgery knowing there may not be a great chance that all of the tumor would be removed. My parents agreed that this would be the first step and if anything needed to be done after that, we'd discuss it then. Being overwhelmed made us want to take the treatment course one step at a time.

"I remember Mom and Alice crying and Dad kissing my forehead as they wheeled me back to the operating room. The last memory I have of that day was staring into the face of one of the neurosurgeons as she wished me sweet dreams and brushed the hair off my forehead. I don't think I ever told her, but that was the most relaxing moment of that day and I'll never forget it."

Getting self-conscious, I ran my fingers through my hair and rubbed the back of my neck. I knew I'd be revealing the one thing I hated most about this entire ordeal next, but I wasn't stopping now.

Taking a deep breath I explained, "Since the surgeons needed a clean surgical area, they had to shave my head. I had the option of only shaving some of my hair, but I figured it would grow back, so I let them make me bald. However, I wasn't prepared for the scar the surgery would leave behind."

Again I rubbed the back of my neck, grazing the bottom of the scar in the process. I flinched when I touched it and Bella immediately noticed, worry streaming across her face.

"I like to think I have a good reason for keeping my hair so long and unruly. See, after the surgery and subsequent treatments, my hair never grew back quite the same way, and to cover up the scar I just let my hair grow. It's worked so far and no one's ever noticed, but the scar is right back here."

Leaning forward I parted the hair on the back of my head and showed Bella my scar.

"Does it hurt?" she asked as she scrunched up her face and got a closer look.

"Nope, not at all. In fact, I can't feel a thing. You can touch it if you want."

Bella tentatively released my hand and reached for my scar. I felt pressure as she ran her fingers down it, but nothing else.

"So, what happened during the first surgery?" Bella questioned as I recovered my scar and sat back, taking her hand again. "I guess they didn't get the entire tumor?"

"No. You're right. They were only able to remove seventy-five percent of it, but the surgeons and my parents were happy with the results. Knowing that only twenty-five percent of the tumor remained, we opted for chemotherapy instead of radiation as the next step in treatment. That made me stay at the hospital a really long time. I missed so much school that my parents just withdrew me from my grade school and Mom started homeschooling me. It made it easier to go back and forth from home to the hospital over the course of the treatment. It also made sense to keep me at home because the chemo made me susceptible to everything, and the doctors didn't want me getting sick. The one problem with staying home was all my friends wanted to come over and play, but we constantly had to tell them no. I felt very lonely and lost a lot of friends, but it kept me from getting sick.

"I went through one full round of chemo, which lasted for a total of six months. I would spend four or five days at the hospital while I received the chemo drugs and recovered, and then went back home. I did that once or twice a month until the first round was completed.

"During those six months Mom was homeschooling me I had extra time to learn something fun. That's where the cooking comes in. I was home so much that we tried to break up the monotony of the day with a fun task. Cooking seemed to be the best thing to keep my mind off of being sick and not being able to play with friends. It also helped me to gain back the weight I'd lost. I was also pretty lucky that the chemo treatments never really made me too nauseous, so I kept a pretty good appetite most of the time."

"So, that explains the freaking awesome cinnamon rolls," Bella laughed, poking me in the side.

"Yes, that is exactly how I learned to make the cinnamon rolls."

I saw Alice roll her eyes and Emmett shake his head, but at least they didn't look mad at me anymore. I smiled over at them and got a nod from Emmett while Alice smiled back and flipped me off. _I'll have to work on her._

Looking back at Bella I kept going where I left off, "Even after chemo, the tumor was still there. It was reduced to twenty percent, but Dad and Mom didn't want me to go through radiation so we stopped the treatment. The oncologists and surgeons agreed as long as I would return for routine scans to check if the tumor grew or spread. Luckily, I hadn't had any growth until I turned sixteen, but it was minimal and no one seemed particularly concerned, especially since I wasn't showing symptoms. I thought I was out of the danger zone for a recurrence, but no such luck when I noticed my symptoms returning soon after you and Emmett arrived."

Bella and Emmett both cringed. It seemed like they thought they were responsible for the tumor returning and my symptoms exacerbating.

"Hey," I pulled Bella closer to me. "You guys didn't have anything to do with my symptoms returning. They would have come back even if we hadn't asked you to live with us. Besides, it's my fault for not getting this taken care of sooner, so please don't place any blame on yourselves."

The both grinned and Bella snuggled into my side as I started rubbing tiny circles on her arm to relax her.

"Mom said the oncologists all visited yesterday when I was still out of it, but they expect the neurosurgeons to see me today and discuss treatment plans again. Apparently, surgery is still the first course of action, so we'll start there again. I think the surgeons usually make rounds in about a half hour, and we'll discuss the finer details and get an idea of what they're thinking."

I kissed Bella's cheek and she turned to look at me. "I've kept my tumor a secret from everyone. Only a select few know for safety reasons, like the school nurse, my teachers, and my immediate family members. I didn't want anyone else to know because it made me feel weak, and I swore Mom, Dad, and Alice to secrecy, too. But I promise to tell you all everything from now on, so don't freak out if you guys have to wander around for a bit when all the doctors come in, okay?"

They all nodded and Bella gave me a big hug before hopping off the bed. Just then, Mom and Dad walked in carrying boxes of leftovers from their breakfast. Emmett eyed the boxes and licked his lips. Mom laughed as she grabbed Dad's box and handed them both to him. She patted Emmett on the back and gave Alice a hug before turning to me and Bella, hugging us both and kissing my head. Dad was still pretty quiet, but I knew he'd speak up if anything was worth saying.

We all relaxed and chatted for about twenty minutes when the neurosurgeons rounded for the morning. I knew this was going to be a tense moment for Bella and Emmett, but I had no clue it would be just as rough on the surgeons.

"Good morning," both the surgeons greeted as they glided into the room, the epitome of calm. Their accents were just as thick as I remembered, and I knew, if nothing else, Bella and Emmett would remember that, too. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Bella and Emmett both go rigid as they realized who just walked into the room. For the moment, neither of the surgeons noticed who was staring at them.

"It's been a nice, long time since we've seen you Edward," the first surgeon said. "We were hoping you'd never have to see our faces again."

"You're looking much better from what we heard about your first day here," mentioned surgeon number two. "We're glad to see that."

"Thanks," I returned, shifting nervously on the bed. "I'm feeling much better, but I'm anxious to hear what you have to say."

"Excuse me for interrupting, doctors," Dad jumped in, "but I think we have some introductions that need to be made." Pointing to Bella and Emmett he said, "I believe you know our two new foster children, Emmett and Bella."

The room went silent and everyone held their breath as Bella and Emmett stared into the eyes of their saviors.

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**A/N: Does everyone remember who saved them that terrible night? BPOV up next chapter with reactions and info.**

**If anyone has questions regarding Edward's diagnosis or prognosis, please rest assured that I will NOT be killing him off. I'm definitely all for the HEA. However, I can't promise it won't be a rough ride until then, so bear with me as this craziness gets even crazier.**

**And to all those wondering where James is, let's just say he'll be making an appearance very soon.**

**::hugs:: M ;)**


	23. Emotions

**A/N: Oy! Major author fail these past few weeks. I'm really sorry it took so long to update, but I had some major road blocks to writing. A family death, incapacitating hormone headaches, and four Christmas parties later, you're finally getting this chapter. So, a late Happy Holidays to all, and I promise it won't take that long to post again.**

**Major hugs and snugs to all my readers for the huge jump in favorites, alerts, and reviews! You all are fanfreakingtastic!**

**Super-duper thanks to Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen for beta'ing like the wind! ::mwah::**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own new toys from Santa. The bastard didn't know when to stop. Now, if only I could send him my bills. ****©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

Watching Edward have a seizure… Stunned.

Finally having Edward tell me his past… Relief.

Finding out he had a brain tumor… Fear, worry, anger, and heart-wrenching sadness.

I didn't know exactly what to think. My emotions were all over the place, and I was beginning to think I'd need meds if I got anymore bipolar. After Alice knocked me down a few pegs in the elevator, I really tried to keep myself in check. I didn't want to piss anybody off, especially Edward, so I was keeping my mouth shut and not asking any questions.

When Edward started telling me about why he ended up in the hospital, I thought I was doing a good job of hiding my emotions. Unfortunately, as soon as he mentioned the brain tumor, I lost it. Nothing was going to keep my breakfast inside me. I was too overwhelmed to keep a calm façade.

As much as my body kept telling me to get the hell out of there, I couldn't bear to leave. I had to hear the rest of what he had to tell me, and I was going to get it all done at once. _Glutton for punishment… that's me. _ So, I dragged him back to the bed and reluctantly forced him to go on with the story.

It actually turned out better than I thought. Sure, I was still overwhelmed with the prospect of potentially losing him, but he seemed so calm about it that his tranquility wore off on me. If he wasn't going to freak out, then neither would I. I'd take my cues from him and if, or when he lost it, then I'd be his rock. He was mine when I needed it, so it seemed only fair to return the favor.

But I didn't want it to seem like a favor. I really wanted to be there for him when he needed me. Show him I could be strong, that I really cared, that… I loved him. And so the next step in my master plan fell into place. I would tell Edward I loved him, and that was that.

Of course the universe had others plans and derailed my love train right over a cliff, sending it straight down to the abyss of the deep, dark ocean. I never thought Tanya and Irina would just waltz back into my and Emmett's life so casually. Actually it turned out to happen rather abruptly and in a very unceremonious way.

I guess I never thought it would be a possibility to have our first foster parents reappear in this lifetime. I don't remember much from the first year after our parents' deaths. I'd withdrawn into myself so much that even Emmett and I barely spoke to each other. We went to school, went to shrinks, and cried… a lot. But when the tears were gone, we shut down and no one was breaking through, not even Tanya and Irina. They'd seen us bloodied, bruised, and battered, traumatized and scared, alone and helpless. I knew they tried to give us a wonderful life, but we were just too stubborn to let them love us.

They even discussed adopting us, but DFS talked them out of it when there was no progress with the psychiatrists. Everyone was convinced we were rotten little misfits with a horrible past that would continue being unruly and closed off from the world. We were destined for lives of misbehavior and time in the slammer.

Emmett and I lived in shit after that, getting sent from home to home without ever fitting in. We suffered beatings, false accusations, and worst of all, rejection. No one would ever love us, no one would ever care enough to even say a simple "good night." Thankfully, that all changed when we met the Cullens.

And then, there we were, standing in the hospital room, staring into the faces of our angels. Emotions started coursing through my body; amazement, fear, anger, abandonment, loss. _Nothing like coming full circle to throw you for a loop._

I knew it was them the second I heard their voices. Almost a tinkling quality, so light and airy, the accent only enhanced the beauty. Then I slowly turned to face them and gripped Edward's bedrail for support. They hadn't recognized us yet, but Carlisle was never one for beating around the bush and got right down to business.

Tanya and Irina remained composed except for the tears welling up in their eyes. They smiled gently at Emmett and me, but made no attempts to come closer. I thought I may have seen Irina reach for us tentatively, but she dropped her hands down to her sides before clasping them together behind her back.

The room was extremely quiet. I didn't even think anyone was breathing. Then they spoke.

"Bella? Emmett?" Tanya and Irina asked in unison, their bright blue eyes sparkling with tears as they glanced back and forth between the two of us. They looked like they'd aged ten years since they walked into the room. All the color had drained from their already pale faces making them look almost translucent.

We nodded our heads slowly, and I felt a tear crawl down my cheek. I peeked over at Emmett, realizing he'd stepped closer to the bed. He almost looked like he wanted to grab me and make a run for it. I could tell he was scared, thinking they couldn't truly be there, but when Esme came up beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder, he relaxed slightly.

"How… when… I'm confused." Tanya stuttered. "I'm sorry, I just never expected to see either of you again. Is this a joke? What's going on?"

Carlisle spoke for us. "Dr. Denali, we took Bella and Emmett into our home in August. They needed a new home to keep them out of reach of James. We were the best candidates and are taking full precautions to ensure their safety. It wasn't until we received their files that we saw you'd been involved in their lives and safety as well."

He turned to me and Emmett and continued, "Esme and I realized the connection immediately, but we never thought we'd have to see the doctors again. Apparently, Edward's tumor had other plans. We didn't want to add unnecessary worry for you when you were both already so fragile. In hindsight, we probably should have at least warned you."

All the air left my lungs, and I heard Emmett huff in disapproval. I gathered my composure and decided now was as good a time as any to start talking. "Wait, one thing I don't understand is why you were in Pennsylvania on that night. You've obviously never given up your residence here in Washington, and to have been completely across the country just doesn't make any sense."

Tanya and Irina nodded their heads and took a step toward us. "Bella, I know it seems unlikely," Irina began, "but we were travelling to Pennsylvania for a neurology seminar and training sessions. After securing a residence, we took a yearlong sabbatical to study at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia."

"The night we found you on the road," Tanya interrupted, looking to Emmett, "we were doing a bit of sight-seeing and were on our way back to our house. Then we stumbled across you two, and we couldn't leave you to fend for yourselves. We watched you both fall apart when the ER doctors announced that your mother had passed, and we agreed to keep you."

"But you didn't keep us!" Emmett screamed, causing everyone to jump and Jake to rush into the room, look around and then back out, shutting the door. "You let them take us away and send us around the country to the worst families in the history of the world. They beat us, barely clothed us, and treated us like trash! Why would you let that happen if you really cared about us? How can you live knowing you tried to save us, but failed miserably?"

He angrily wiped the tears from his face, and Tanya and Irina finally allowed their tears to fall over their lashes.

"We did try!" Tanya cried in return. "We wanted nothing more than to keep you and take you with us, but the hypocrites at DFS wouldn't allow it. Irina and I loved you like our own and wanted to help you get better. We wanted to give you the best of everything and show you just how much we cared, but the adoption system was overruled by DFS."

Tanya paused and wiped her face. Irina continued, "She's telling you the truth, Emmett. We did love you, and we died the day they took you from us! We fought right down to the very last moment, and felt like our hearts were ripped out when you left! I bet they never told you the reason why you weren't allowed to stay with us, either."

Emmett was beyond talking at this point. He was tumbling quickly toward explosion, so I stepped in. "They told us we didn't make enough progress with the psychiatrists, and you refused to take us because of it."

The doctors slumped forward and gripped each other for support. More tears began to fall as we waited for their version of events.

"That was a lie," choked Irina. "DFS told you that because they didn't want you to really know we were a couple, not sisters like they made you believe. DFS convinced the adoption agency that a lesbian couple couldn't adequately take care of you. They believed it would just add to your torment and trauma, and as much as we hated it, we began to think that, too. We didn't want to make you suffer anymore than you had to. DFS also thought we wouldn't be able to offer you stability due to our time commitments as doctors, but we were willing to give up what we had to in order to give you a great life. We thought we were doing what was best for you, and we did love you. Please believe us!"

My insides crumbled and Emmett started shaking in anger, hands fisted at his sides. More lies created by DFS that ruined our lives for almost five years. I quickly thought back to the time we spent with Tanya and Irina. Nothing stood out as harmful or hurtful, but then again, I was in such a trance the first year that I didn't remember much of anything. No wonder neither Emmett or I picked up on the lies. We'd been fed them our entire time with DFS, but this was beyond horrendous. Maybe if we'd known the truth, maybe if we hadn't been so side-lined with the death of our parents, we would have fought to stay, too.

But what about the Cullens? They knew this entire time about Tanya and Irina, yet they chose to keep it a secret for our own good. Did they really think that was a good piece of information to keep from us? Surely they knew the doctors were amazing individuals. I mean, they saved Edward's life for fuck's sake! Why would they think that was a good idea? Yes, Carlisle had said it was because he didn't want to add stress to our already chaotic lives, and I could see that as a valid point. But he should have at least mentioned it and let us make our own decisions regarding how to proceed.

_This is so fucked up!_

I maneuvered myself to sit on the side of Edward's bed, leaning forward and covering my face with my hands. I needed to wrap my head around all this new information before I spoke again. Apparently, Emmett and I were robbed of what could have been a fabulous life with Tanya and Irina. As a result we were tossed around the US from crappy family to even crappier family for almost five years. Then we land with the Cullens, who turned out to be the greatest thing that ever happened to us.

Was I mad? No, upset was a better word. Confusion was even a better defining emotion than anger at that point. Things happened for a reason, and when everything was said and done, I was glad things ended up the way they did. Sure we had a shitty existence for a while, but now our lives couldn't be better. What's done was done and we couldn't change it, but we did have a chance to affect our future. I wouldn't let anyone else feel regret for things we didn't have control of, so I decided to make a move.

I came out of my thoughts and listened to everything around me, still covering my face. Everyone was still as quiet as before, but I could hear feet shuffling and soft sniffles all around me. I hadn't realized it, but Edward had placed a hand on my back and was gently combing through my hair as I sat next to him. The outcome of this situation was still in limbo, but I was ready to change it for the best.

After deciding I didn't give two shits about the past and was ready to move on, I lifted my face from my hands and pushed myself up to standing. I pulled at the hem of my shirt nervously as I walked toward Tanya and Irina huddled near the closed door. They were wiping their eyes while quietly speaking with Esme, and they froze when they saw me approaching. So slowly that I thought I would start moving backwards, I paced to them. When I finally stood in front of them, we stared at each other, them with confusion and worry, me with forgiveness and thanks.

I cautiously raised my arms, opening them for an embrace, and pulled Tanya and Irina to me. Warmth, love, relief, happiness. We sobbed into each other's shoulders as we clung to one another. A few seconds later, I felt strong arms wrapping around all three of us and knew Emmett had made it to where I was. Forgive and forget. There was no use dwelling on the past. It would only make us weaker.

So there we stood, locked together for several minutes, simply hugging and holding. No one moving, no one wanting to let go first. But then we heard Carlisle clearing his throat and the moment was effectively over.

Pulling away from our group hug, I looked at Tanya and Irina and said, "Emmett and I may not be alive if it weren't for both of you. We owe more than we can repay, and now that we live so close, hopefully we can make it up to you. Thank you so much for the kindness and love I know you showed while we stayed with you. I'm sorry we were so distant during that time, but I know you understand. We can always wonder what may have happened if you adopted us, but then we never would have met the Cullens. Our lives have turned out to be wonderful, and you were the start of that. So, thank you again for stopping on that dark road for two battered kids you didn't know."

Tears were freely flowing from most of the eyes in the room, apart from Carlisle's and Edward's, but at least they were smiling. Tanya and Irina nodded in appreciation of my comments, and I turned to look at the rest of my family.

Esme and Alice were sitting on the window seat, sharing a box of tissues, and Carlisle was taking up residence in one of the chairs next to Edward's bed. I could see Jake and Leah casually peeking through the blinds from the hall, keeping a watchful eye on the situation. Emmett walked back over to the other side of Esme and plopped down as she rubbed his back and kissed his cheek. Edward was eyeing me carefully, but smiled and scooted over in the bed, patting the spot he made for me to sit. I gladly took a seat next to him as he grabbed my hand and squeezed, pulling me close.

After drying their tears, the doctors seemed a little lost as to why everyone was peering at them expectantly.

"I believe we were going to discuss Edward's treatment plan," Carlisle interjected, helping them regain their thoughts.

"Ah, right," Tanya started, collecting herself. "Well, Edward, your tumor has grown, but not as much as we thought. It's not back to the size when you were first diagnosed, but what's significant now is your symptoms are showing up sooner than they did before."

"Yes, your body is reacting faster than when you were younger," Irina continued. "It seems to recognize the danger and has been sending you early signals, which we understand you've been avoiding for quite some time."

She smirked down at Edward, who sheepishly looked down at his covers and blushed. "I know, I know," he retorted, looking back up again. "I've been reamed by Alice for not giving more warning, but I was really hoping the headaches and dizziness were due to stress."

"That's all right," said Tanya, winking at him. "We'll let it slide this time because we've got a plan, and you're exactly where you need to be to get it rolling."

"We want to do this as soon as possible to avoid another seizure," Irina spoke, resting against the counter next to the sink. "I think we're going to try for this coming Tuesday or Wednesday."

As Tanya and Irina nodded in agreement, Edward glanced at Carlisle in confusion. "What are they talking about, Dad? What do they want to do?"

Tanya jumped back into the conversation, "Oh, I'm sorry. We're speaking in code again. What Irina was mentioning is surgery next week. We believe we have a very good chance of removing the entire tumor, or at least reducing it a sizeable amount. If the whole tumor is removed, you won't have to receive chemotherapy. However, if we're unable to successfully take it all out, then we recommend another round of chemo for complete tumor eradication."

Carlisle nodded thoughtfully, and Edward curled his shoulders forward, lowering his face into his hands. I quickly wrapped my arms around him as he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. He was mumbling under his breath, but I swore I made out, "fucking shit" and "bald again."

If that was all he was worried about, then Tanya and Irina must really know what they were doing. I could live with a bald Edward for a while. _Hair grows back. No biggie._

I squeezed him tightly and buried my face in his neck. He stopped rubbing his face and then ran his fingers through his hair, practically groaning when he asked, "So, that means I'll be hairless again? And what about my scar? How much worse will it be?"

"Well, you know you don't have to shave your whole scalp," Irina confirmed. "You didn't have to the first time, remember? That was your choice. And it's your choice again this time. Whatever you're comfortable with. As far as the scar goes, we have new surgical techniques that make less of a scar, and we will try our best to use the same area. But it's been nine years since your first surgery and you've grown a lot since then, so we can't make any promises. However, we can consult with some plastic surgeons and discuss ways to minimize the scar tissue during the surgery."

Edward sighed, as I traced circles with my thumb on the back of his hand. This was going to be a long journey. Edward knew it, Carlisle and Esme knew it, and now I knew it, too. I just hoped the doctors would be able to save him again… before anything else devastating happened.

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**A/N: They met, they talked, they cried, and now we're headed for surgery. Do you think Edward will make it to surgery without having another seizure? Will Bella and Edward ever say those three little words? Where the hell are James and his minions, and what are they up to? All interesting questions. I'd love to hear your thoughts, concerns, or questions!**

**Because I was a major slacker this chapter, I will send out a teaser for reviews! Send me love!**


	24. Broken

**A/N: Hello all my wonderful, amazing, lovely readers! I've missed you so. I'd much rather be writing than cleaning up after a toddler and preschooler with the stomach flu, but so is life. Thank you all for your never-ending loyalty, and all the favorites, alerts, and insightful reviews. I bow down to all of you and gladly kiss your feet. Thanks for making this a fun ride!**

**Shouts to my betas: Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own an ever-expanding midsection with a growing fetus that is determined to pummel me from the inside. ****©2010 twicrack83**

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*~*EPOV*~*

I can't say I was surprised by Bella's or Emmett's reaction to Tanya and Irina, but I wasn't expecting them to forgive so easily. When Emmett started yelling, I thought all hell was about to break loose, but Bella jumped in and saved the day. She truly was growing and letting go of her past. I only wished I could say the same.

After hearing about the plan for more surgery, I just wanted to crawl under the blankets and sleep for the next couple of weeks. That way it would all seem like a really bad dream and be over by the time I was awake. Then I could go on living like nothing ever happened.

No such luck.

The next couple of days started out pretty sucky. I was feeling bummed that Bella, Emmett, and Alice would be going back to school for the next couple of days until my surgery was pinned down and arrangements could be made at the school for their absences. If I was being honest, Bella was the one I would miss the most.

We spent the majority of Sunday cuddling on the bed, watching TV, and even played a couple video games. But then shift change came around for the nurses and we got stuck with little Miss Stick-up-her-ass. She had it in her thick skull that two teenage kids couldn't be trusted to sit in the same bed without going at each other. I mean, seriously, lady. My parents and Emmett are in the room with us. What the hell could we get away with?

When it was time to say goodbye, Bella waited until everyone else left the room before giving me a chaste kiss on the lips and hugging me so tight I thought my eyes would pop out. She pulled away and just stared at me, biting her bottom lip like she was trying to decide whether to say something or not. I reached up and gently pulled her lip from between her teeth, tracing my thumb over the marks left there.

"What's wrong, Bella?" I questioned. "Please don't be scared. I'll see you in a few days, and we'll talk any time you want in the meantime."

Her eyes were welling up with tears, and she started looking really worried. "Just promise me you won't leave, okay?"

"Leave? Where am I…"

Then realization hit me. She was worried I was going to die. I could see the terror behind her tears and I had to reassure her before she left.

"Come here," I said as I pulled her into my chest, running my fingers through her hair. "Don't think about that. I already promised you I'm not going anywhere. I'm in the best place to get help with some of the best doctors in the world. I'll never be left alone and no one will let anything happen to me. If it makes you feel better, I'll even text you every hour I'm awake to give you updates."

That got a small smile as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "I know you're in the right place. It's just… this entire situation bites the big one, you know? I keep thinking I have this dark astral that follows me around and won't give up until everyone and everything good that's ever happened to me is ground into dust at my feet. I'm just waiting for the fallout to hit, and I'm terrified it's going to have something to do with you."

"Well, I don't see any dark astral in here," I looked around the room playfully. "So, don't worry about me, all right? I need you to be strong and believe that all of this will work out. Otherwise, all I'll do is worry about you." I pulled her chin so she would look directly in my eyes. "And I hate that the girl I love is suffering because of me. I love you, Bella, and I don't like seeing you sad."

Her eyes lit up brighter than I'd seen in days and a smile broke across her face. She lunged at me and almost knocked me off the bed with her hug.

"I love you, too, Edward," she murmured into my neck and I kissed the side of her head.

Just then, Dad poked his head into the room and rolled his eyes. "Um, Bella? I think it's past time to go now. They're gonna lock the doors to the unit and all visitors have to be out."

Bella jumped back and wiped more tears off her flushed face. She smiled again and ruffled my hair before practically skipping out of the room. I shook my head and laughed as I waved Dad goodbye.

Sunday turned out awesome after all.

/~/+/~/

As promised, I texted Bella every hour I was awake. Sometimes it was just a smiley face; others, I'd tell her what I was eating at the moment. She would text me back every single time, and I even caught her sending me messages during class time. Bella swore the teacher would never see, but when I got a call from Dad about the proper usage of my phone, I knew something must have happened.

Mom and Leah stayed with me at the hospital while Dad and Jake took the others back home. Dad was busy straightening things out with work and school and felt Mom could handle all the hospital stuff on her own. Even though she smiled and joked with me, I could see the stress in her face. Her eyes were tired and her voice would crack when she was talking to the doctors about treatment plans. She claimed it was just because hospitals were so dry and her allergies were acting up, but I knew better. She was hurting and trying to hold it together for me.

That was the worst part of all of this: watching others crumble. Even the nurses and doctors would cry with the families and it made this crapshoot scarier. Cancer was still so mysterious, and curing it became a guessing game, so when the people giving you answers were out of answers, themselves, you had to suck it up and hope for the best.

It's not that I didn't realize kids died every day, but when I'm the kid that might die, death takes on an entirely different meaning. Especially now that I had Bella, I worried more about "leaving" than anything else. I didn't want to be the cause of more grief in her life, but that was exactly what I was doing. And my feeling of regret only compounded when I noticed everyone else around me was ripping apart at the seams.

Watching Mom reading her magazines became depressing. She'd stare at the same page for hours with a blankness in her eyes. Every once in a while she'd quickly excuse herself from the room, grabbing the tissue box on her way out of the door. My whole body ached for the pain I was putting my family through. I almost wished I'd just die so they could get over me and move on. They'd be better off without me, right?

I shared these thoughts with the child psychiatrist that made daily rounds. Dr. Cheney was the friendliest, most accepting, nonjudgmental person I'd met at this place. He stopped by around four o'clock on Monday and asked how everyone was doing. Mom's chin started shaking as she looked at me, and Leah wrapped an arm around her when they made their escape from the room.

"I hate the effect I have on people," Dr. Cheney began as he walked further into the room, shutting the door behind him. "I never make good entrances."

"That's okay," I replied, running my fingers through my hair and sitting up in the bed. "She's been weepy since we got here last week. It's killing me to see her like that. Sometimes I just wish she'd go on a walk to burn off some steam. She needs alone time to figure everything out."

"Interesting ideas, Edward. But have you thought that maybe she just wants to spend as much time with you as she can? Your diagnosis is scary to everyone, not just you."

"But that's the thing," I huffed and plopped down in the bed, pulling at my hair with both hands. "I'm not scared, so why does everyone else have to be?"

Dr. Cheney nodded and walked over to sit on the window seat, lost in thought. "Why aren't you scared, Edward? What made you get over the fear?"

Damn, he had good questions. I opened and shut my mouth several times, thinking I had an adequate answer then shooting it down right before it escaped my mouth. Why wasn't I scared? I'd been through this once before and accepted the possibility of death then. But now… why wasn't I scared _now_? This was an entirely different time in my life. What made me think I was immune to the consequences?

"Holy crap," I groaned into my hands covering my face. "I _am_ scared. But not for myself… for everyone else."

"Then, do you think everyone is scared for you?"

"That makes perfect sense. They see me not caring and it makes them even more worried. But I don't want them to see me scared. I want them to see me happy, to see me smiling. That's how I want to be remembered if I die… not a pitiful, wasting, whiny mess."

"And that's a great thing," Dr. Cheney returned, crossing his legs and leaning back. "But do you think the others have accepted the fact that you may die?"

"I guess not, but I have no clue how to get them to the place I'm at. Death seems like a relief at times, especially when I see how upset Mom gets. I hate watching everyone suffer."

"Do you think they hate seeing you suffer, too?"

I rubbed my hands roughly over my face and sat up, turning to look at him. "Yeah, I can understand that. I don't want to suffer either, but living every day and witnessing my friends and family fall apart is making me die inside."

"So if watching your family suffer makes you suffer, then how do you think they feel watching you in pain?"

Again, Dr. Cheney brought a whole new level to the conversation. He was absolutely right. My family didn't want me to suffer just as much as I didn't like watching them cry because of me.

After a few seconds I asked, "What can I do to make this easier on everyone? How do I make them worry less?"

Dr. Cheney smiled and chuckled. "Well, you're probably not going to like this, but there really isn't anything you can do. You can, however, tell them how you feel. Let them know that you see them suffering and it makes you upset, just like they get upset when they see you sick. If everyone is open about their feelings, then the suffering should decrease because everyone is honest." He shifted in his seat, placing both feet back on the floor and leaning forward, resting his arms on his legs. "But you have to be patient. You have a surgery coming up which adds stress on everyone, and people tend to close down and bottle up emotions when stressed. So don't be surprised if suffering becomes a common occurrence in the next few days. But whatever happens just remember to be open and get others to share what they're feeling, too."

"Like making Mom stay and talk instead of running out of the room," I laughed and shook my head.

"Yes. Try to be open and others will be open in return." We smiled at each other and he walked over to the bed, patting my shoulder and saying, "It's amazing what communication can do for people."

Taking his words to heart, I came up with a plan to get everyone talking. Unfortunately, I knew it would have to wait until after my surgery. Hopefully everyone would share their feelings and we could move past all of this. Then I could get on to loving Bella like she deserved. _Hell yeah!_

/~/+/~/

Tuesday morning brought interesting news. Tanya and Irina decided Thursday was the golden day for my surgery instead of Wednesday. They explained that one more day would give them more time to go over my most recent scans and review how they could improve tumor removal since my last surgery.

Don't get me wrong. I wanted them to do their absolute best and be prepared, but I wanted this thing out of me… fast. The longer they waited, the more anxious I got and the more emotional Mom was. Feeling helpless became an everyday occurrence, but I tried my best to smile and not let her know I felt terrible for her.

I talked Leah into getting her out of the room for an hour; the longest she'd been away from me since we'd arrived here. That gave me enough time to call Dad and plead my case that he and the others needed to take off the rest of the week and come save Mom and me from the impending cabin fever. He reluctantly agreed, but stated that Alice, Emmett, and Bella would have to wait until after school on Wednesday. Dad, however, would make arrangements to get there Tuesday night and take Mom out for a nice dinner to "get her out of my hair" as he put it. I thanked him profusely and planned a fun night of sleeping while they were gone.

Texting Bella, I told her the good news. I'd get to see her sooner than we thought, and Dad had decided they could take off another week from school to stay in Seattle while I recovered from the surgery. She wrote back quickly that she couldn't wait to get Alice away from Jasper. Apparently, the PDA was unbearable without me there to "relieve" some of the tension. _Dammit! I can't wait to get out of here._

As planned, Dad arrived around six Tuesday night and stole Mom away for a lovely evening on the town. My plan of sleep also fell into place nicely, and I slept through the night, not even waking up when the nurse took my vital signs. Wednesday seemed to drag on forever. I was so anxious to see Bella again that the floor was getting worn from all the pacing I was doing. Dad eventually quarantined me to the bed and made me take a nap so I'd stop aggravating him. _Love you, too, Dad._

The nap actually made the afternoon go by faster, and by the time I woke up, I only had an hour to wait before Bella showed up… oh, and Alice and Emmett, too. Unfortunately, they only got to stay for a couple hours before visiting hours were over, but it was nice to cuddle with Bella for a while. All the stress and anxiety about surgery the next morning just melted away when I held her in my arms. She was like my own, personal good-luck charm, except without the brightly colored spiky hair.

Thursday morning finally made its appearance. Alice, Emmett, and Bella showed up before visiting hours, but were allowed to see me for a while before I headed back to surgery. Bella was teary-eyed, and Emmett promised he'd keep her calm for me when I was under.

Even after all the hugs, kisses, and reassurances, I couldn't stop the jittery feeling that crept up and down my body. Not able to place whether it was due to nervousness or the general chaos of the morning, I tried to ignore it so the rest of family wouldn't know I was worried. But Alice wasn't fooled, and she started fidgeting uncontrollably as they wheeled me back to the preoperative area.

/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/

*~*?POV*~*

_Shit! Shit! Shit! Damn trees. Why'd I agree to this? Oh, yeah. I didn't. I was forced into it. Stupid, cock sucking, maniacal, son-of-a-bitch. He's just too much of a pussy to do it himself._

Crunch, crunch, crunch, snap, crunch.

_Ugh. I have to get to that house before a bear finds me. I just hope they didn't send me on a wild goose chase. And that dick muncher better keep the car in the same spot so I can find him back. I'm freezing my nads off out here. No way I'd make it over night in this cold._

_Wait. What's… Is that… Score! Those have to be lights. Oh fuck! I hope no one's watching the house. They told me everyone was out of town, but what the hell do they know._

Rustle, rustle, tap.

_Okay. Gun… check. I should probably get this ready just in case. I'll just wait here for a few minutes and see if anyone shows up. Then I'll make my move._

_Brrrr! I've gotta move. It's only been about five minutes, but I can't feel my toes now and I haven't seen or heard anyone. All right, just make it to the house, stay in the shadows, keep noise to a minimum, and I'll be fine. It's go time, bitches!_

_Walk… no, run… no, walk… no… oh, fuck it. I'm already at the door. Now, where's that lock-pick. Oh, yeah. Left, inside, upper pocket… aaaaannndd, there it is._

Click, click, clink.

_Jackpot! I'm in! Remember, don't touch anything, or my ass is grass. Shit! It's gotta be around here somewhere. Kitchen… maybe. Dining room… no. Living room… I don't see it. Upstairs… bedrooms, yes! It's probably up there._

Creak, creak, creak.

_Man, they need to get these stairs fixed. Hmm… girl room and another girl room. Not here. Shall I go up again? I think I will. Boy room and another boy room. Where the hell is the master bedroom? I bet I missed it on the bottom floor. Back down I go._

Creak, creak, creak, RIIIIIIINNNNNGGG!

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

RIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!

_Just stay still… no, hide you pussy._

RIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!

_Right… hide._

"Hello, you've reached the Cullen residence. Please leave a message after the beep."

BEEEEPPP!

"Hey, dude! It's Aaron. The guys wanna know when you're gonna lift weights with us again. We're getting worried since we haven't heard from you in a couple weeks. At least let us know what's up. Okay, well, talk to you soon."

Click. BEEEEEPPP!

_Damn! That was close. But now I know where the answering machine is... the kitchen, and I hope to hell it can give me answers. Let's see. Play button is… there._

Click. "You have four new messages. First message sent yesterday, Tuesday, December first, nine-twenty-two AM."

"Hi, yeah, this is Jillian with American Home Mortgage and I…"

Click. BEEEEPPP!

_Nope, not it._

"Next new message sent yesterday, Tuesday December first, four-seventeen PM."

"Hey, Alice. I just wanted to remind you of the party tonight at Krista's house after the football game. You better be there, girl. Can't wait! Smooches!"

Click. BEEEEEPPP!

"Next new message sent yesterday, Tuesday December first, five-thirty-eight PM."

"Well, I was hoping to catch you three before you left for the game, but I'll just leave a message here, then try your cells. Don't forget to bring snacks in your suitcases. We may have to wait around for a while during the surgery, and I don't want to have to send anyone down to the cafeteria. And call me when you're headed this way, so I know you're on the road. We're staying at the Watertown again, but I'm not sure what room yet. Anyway, I'll try to catch one of you on a cell. Call me if you need me."

Click. BEEEEEEPPPP!

"Next new mess…" Click. BEEEEEPPP!

_Perfect! Exactly what I needed. Now, I just have to figure out which hospital and we're set. I better write that down first, so I don't forget. Paper… paper… here we go, and a pen._

Scribble, scribble, scribble.

_And to leave. Kitchen is… this way. There's the door and… Fuck! Those are definitely car lights. I'm so dead._

_

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_**A/N: Aww… they said ILY, and Edward beat Bella to it. Yay for true love! Now, he just has to make it through the surgery and all will be well, right? Umm, more on that next chapter. And what did you think about the mystery POV? Any guesses as to who it might be? What was he looking for? Why was he looking for it? What do we think he's going to do with the info he found? Sorry about the confusion, but it had to be done.**

**Thanks again for all of your support for my story. I literally can't thank you all enough for embracing it. ;) M**


	25. Complications

**A/N: Hello all my wonderful readers! I fear I must apologize for the wait again on an update. Two toddlers having the stomach flu transferred to a pregnant me getting it, too. Fortunately, my boys got over it quickly. I, however, bought myself a weekend in the hospital and six liters of IV fluids to rehydrate my sorry ass. Hence the wait. So sorry again. I hope it's worth it!**

**Major smooches to all my loyal readers and to all my newbies! I love seeing those alerts, favorites, and reviews! Keep up the good work! ;)**

**Thanks to my betas: Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen. You all truly make this possible.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own the burden of figuring out how I'm going to pay for my doctoral degree. ****©2010-2011 twicrack83**

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*~*?POV*~*

_Think fast. Car lights equal bad, and bad equals not good for me. To run or not to run. That is the fucking question. Well, they haven't seen me yet, so maybe I should make a break for it._

_Crap. They're stopping. Now or never._

Crash! Bang! Splat!

"Fuck! My face!"

"Stop motherfucker!"

_SHIT! Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Get up and run, you pansy. You don't even know if they have guns. You could have a good chance of getting out of here._

Click, click, BOOM!

_Nope, they have guns. Keep running!_

"I said stop, dick weasel, or I'll shoot again!"

"He'll do it, too!"

_Wait a minute. No one ever calls me dick weasel except…_

"You sick, stupid, son-of-a-bitch! Don't scare me like that!" I spat, stopping and turning around.

"Aww, come on, Riley. You have to admit. That was pretty fucking cool."

"Not quite, Felix. Did Dad put you up to this?"

"Nope. Demitri and I take full credit for scaring the shit out of you," laughed Felix.

"Fuckers. I hope nobody heard your gun shot, or he'll have a shit-fit."

"No one heard us," interrupted Demitri. "You were taking forever, and we were getting bored, so we decided to play a joke on you. Besides, no one's here, nimrod. We checked first."

"Yeah, what was taking you so long?" asked Felix, stepping closer and pulling me to him by my neck.

"Let go of me, dipshit," I returned as he gave me nuggie and I punched his ribs. "I was making sure no one was here. The lights were on in the house and I wasn't sure if they were really here or not."

"Whatever," Demitri snickered as he pulled me out of Felix's arms only to throw me over his shoulders. "We have to get back and call your dad. You better hope you found something in there. He's getting pissed that he can't break the FBI wall these damn kids seem to have around them."

"Yeah, Dad's gonna go after us next if we don't have the goods for him," Felix said as he ran up behind Demitri. He was jogging to the car with me trying to get out of his grasp.

"I got what we need," I confirmed, losing the circulation to my legs as I pounded on Demitri's back.

"Good job, little shit," replied Demitri, and he promptly smacked me on the ass before he threw me in the backseat of the car.

_I swear that guy has a thing for me… ewww!_

/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/

~*~BPOV~*~

He said it! He actually said it! I could hardly believe he beat me to it, but Edward was full of surprises. Finally hearing him say "I love you" was the best moment of my life. I think I may have kind of scared him when I jumped at him, but at least he caught me and we didn't land on the floor next to his bed. That would have been very hard to explain since I would have landed on top of him… cowgirl style. Unfortunately, that moment was far too short for my liking. I would have rather _shown_ him how much I loved him, but hospitals are gross and visiting time was over.

The next few days only added to my anxiety about this entire charade. I didn't want to be away from Edward, especially not at school. Alice briefed me and Emmett on the finer points of lying about what was really happening with Edward, and I thought we did a pretty good job at first. Of course all the teachers knew what was really going on, but it seemed like every corner I took, someone else was asking me where Edward was. Then the rumors started flying and I was beyond pissed about it all. Someone actually started a rumor that he was getting a sex change operation because I was really a lesbian, and we couldn't live without each other.

At least the last part was true. I didn't know what I'd do if Edward wasn't in my life. But the other part was just ridiculous, and I ended up getting a lot of unwanted attention from the girls softball team. When I talked to Edward about it on the phone, he laughed hysterically for about five minutes before I could get in another word. He swore the laughing was directed at his impromptu sex change and not how miserable I was because Myrtle Swanson wouldn't stop leaving love notes in my locker. But I wasn't so sure.

Then we got news about his surgery. It was scheduled. Something about finally having a date and time for the inevitable made it that much scarier. Luckily, it also meant I got to see Edward again, so I guess the whole thing wasn't entirely shot to hell.

Wednesday afternoon couldn't come fast enough. The entire school day dragged on mercilessly and by three o'clock, Alice was ready to rip my tongue out for asking her so many times if she'd heard anything from him. After the hundredth "no" and a bone chilling death stare, I toned it down, but only because Emmett begged me. He was too nice to say it to my face, but I know he really wanted to tell me to knock it the fuck off.

Jake picked us up after school, car already packed, and an assortment of delicious, fattening Taco Bell available for consumption. Nothing like greasy, grade F Mexican food to calm the nerves. We drove to Seattle and made it in record time. When we pulled into the parking garage at the hospital, I barely waited for Jake to park before hopping out of the car and racing for Edward's room. I didn't want to waste any time. Who knew how long I had left to spend with him?

The rest of the afternoon was spent snuggling in Edward's arms, safe and secure. Nothing seemed to bother me, not even Alice's incessant pouting about how much she missed Jasper, or Emmett's constant texting with Rose. We were all there, and we were all alive and breathing. I just wish I'd prepared myself more for the surgery.

Thursday morning was tense. I tried my best to keep myself together despite the constant urge to burst into tears. Edward needed strength and I was determined to give it to him. But I failed miserably and ended up weepy-eyed all morning.

After he was wheeled to the preoperative area with Carlisle at his side, the rest of us trudged to the waiting area where we spent the next eight and a half hours. I swore the clock was mocking me. It almost seemed like every time I looked at it, time would go backward instead of forward. Emmett and Alice finally got tired of me huffing every time I looked up at the clock, and they convinced the hospital staff to move it to the wall behind me. When I tried to turn around and look at it again, Alice promptly smacked the back of my head and Emmett forced my face to look the other way.

At least we were keeping Esme occupied until Carlisle returned. She'd crack a tiny smile when she'd peer up at us from her magazine and shake her head at our antics. When Carlisle eventually met up with us, he seemed to be walking a fine line between calm and completely losing it. Nobody wanted to say anything for fear of setting the others off, but Carlisle wanted to reassure us that Tanya and Irina spoke with him and Edward about the surgery in depth before having them sign consent. He said after everything was set in stone, the nurses gave Edward some meds to help him relax. Apparently, Edward was very comfortable because Carlisle reported he proclaimed his love for me and made sure all the nurses knew he was taken.

I didn't think it was possible to turn purple from embarrassment, but Alice actually thought I was going to pass out from how mortified I looked. Carlisle and Esme just smiled, and Emmett swore he wouldn't let Edward live that one down.

Time dragged on forever. I found myself pacing back and forth in the waiting room while chewing my nails. Esme finally forced me to sit down and gave me a book because she was worried I'd bite my fingers down to nubs.

I hated being a nuisance, but I didn't know how to deal with my anxiety. Walking seemed like an appropriate outlet, but so did chewing on my nails, and eventually, counting strands of hair on Alice's head.

Emmett got tired of watching me fidget, so he made me to go for a walk with him and Jake around the hospital. He threatened to literally carry me out kicking and screaming if I didn't, so I relented and followed them for a not-so-leisurely stroll. We took our time and even went outside for some fresh air, but nothing really helped me take my mind off of Edward's surgery. Emmett finally caved and we went back up to the waiting room.

Alice had scooted some chairs together and was sleeping under her coat. Carlisle and Esme were playing a board game, but neither one really seemed interested as they kept staring off into space and the other would have to remind them of their turns. I decided a nap sounded like a good plan, so I borrowed Emmett's coat to lie on the floor next to Alice's chairs and curled up on the floor covering my head with my coat.

After a restless two hour nap, I was woken abruptly when Alice fell off the chairs right on top of me. We both yelped, and scrambled to recover. I pushed myself to sitting and rubbed my head while she rubbed her ass and everyone around us got a good laugh. Carlisle helped us both up and apologized for startling Alice and making her smash my face into the floor, but he didn't want us to miss Tanya and Irina when they told us about Edward's surgery.

It was over. It was finally over and we were going to find out how everything went in mere minutes when Tanya and Irina met us in the waiting room. We all quickly took seats and watched as the surgeons walked briskly toward us. I should have known something was wrong when I looked in their eyes, but I wanted so badly for everything to be over that hope won over practicality in that instance.

"Hello everyone," started Irina and she ran her fingers through her hair, taking off her surgery cap. "The surgery is complete, and we're happy to report we were able to remove the entire tumor."

Esme released her breath and burst into tears. Carlisle nodded repeatedly and pulled Esme into a huge hug. Alice, Emmett, and I all smiled like loonies, but the surgeons stopped us, and Tanya continued talking.

"Edward did great before and during the surgery. We didn't have any complications until the end," Tanya paused and waited for her information to sink in. We all tensed again, waiting for the fall out. "When we tried to wake him up after the surgery, he started moving erratically on the table and we tried to calm him down, but realized he wasn't waking up… he was having a seizure instead."

Esme screamed, Alice dropped her face into her hands, and I got so lightheaded I started seeing stars.

"The meds we used to sedate and paralyze along with all the stimulation from the surgery caused Edward to seize," Irina resumed. "We tried Diastat right away followed by Ativan, but they weren't working. We had to re-sedate him, place him back on the ventilator, and started a Diazepam drip to keep the seizure from returning. He's currently being transferred to a room in the PICU."

No one, not even Carlisle, said anything. We were all so stunned that we were incapable of forming sentences, let alone coherent thoughts. Tanya and Irina sensed our distress and kept explaining amidst the deafening silence.

"There is a light at the end of this tunnel," began Tanya. "We don't believe this seizure will last for very long. We also don't think it will cause him problems in the future. The only reason we believe it happened in the first place is from the extensive neuronal stimulation he received during the surgery."

"Our brains and nervous system aren't used to constant manipulation like surgery," said Irina. "Once his system calms down and realizes it's not 'under attack' so to speak, the seizure activity should dissipate and we'll be able to bring him out of the med-induced coma."

Still tense, but relaxing slightly from their explanation, Carlisle jumped into the conversation.

"Can we see him? All I want is to see him."

I'd never seen Carlisle cry, but as I looked over at him a stream of tears were steadily moving down his face. Esme seemed on the verge of hysterics, shaking so badly that Carlisle was having trouble keeping her in his arms, and Alice was chanting so fast under her breath that I couldn't make out a single word she was saying. I hadn't noticed it, but Emmett had placed his arm around my shoulders and he was white as a sheet. Looking down at my hands, I realized I was clenching my fists so tightly that my fingers were turning blue from lack of circulation.

"Of course you can see Edward," Tanya and Irina announced in unison.

They walked us up to the PICU and directed us to his room. Reassuring us again, they made a promise to check on his progress every couple of hours, and informed the nursing staff to call at the slightest inkling of concern.

Allowing us to visit him in pairs, the nurses took their time and explained everything to us about Edward's care. He was hooked up to the ventilator and an IV pump giving him fluids and his constant drip of seizure and sedation medications. He was propped up slightly in the bed, and his head was wrapped in gauze. Other than the tubes and bandages, he looked like he was resting peacefully. I just hoped he truly was.

Because of the craziness surrounding the situation, Carlisle and Esme decided to spend the night in Edward's room and forced the rest of us to go to the hotel and get some rest. We reluctantly left around ten o'clock, but I don't think anyone really slept at all that night.

The next morning, everyone looked like zombies because of the lack of sleep and increased apprehension. The future still seemed so uncertain, and I'd thoroughly planned to be beyond all the worry by this point.

Seeing Edward lying motionless and unresponsive in the bed made my heart sink. I couldn't be sure he wasn't in pain, and I didn't even know if _he_ knew I was there. But that didn't deter me from holding his hand every second I was in the room, or kissing his forehead before I left. I wasn't sure he knew, but I was damn certain to keep up my end of the deal by being as supportive of Edward as I could. I was determined to hold his hand and kiss his forehead as long as he needed me to.

Tanya and Irina made rounds early in the morning and spoke with Carlisle about Edward's progress. The plan was to let his body rest for one more day and start weaning him off the medications slowly overnight. The hope was that by Saturday morning, Edward would be free of seizure activity and they could take him off the ventilator. We all had our fingers crossed.

Friday was spent much like Thursday… waiting, not knowing if Edward would be okay, and waiting some more. The day dragged on, and by the time visiting hours came to a close, I was ready to try and get some sleep with the hope that Edward would be off the meds and ventilator when I saw him again in the morning.

Emmett, Alice, Jake, and I made our way back to the hotel. When we drove into the parking garage, Alice tensed up abruptly and started looking around frantically. I asked her what was wrong, because honestly she was freaking me the fuck out, but she kept telling me to shut up. Jake caught on to her craziness and was doing random scans himself before we even made it into the foyer. By the time we made it into the room, all four of us were thoroughly paranoid and Jake had his hand on his gun.

Unfortunately, Jake wasn't quick enough to save us that night.

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**A/N: Well, we found out who the mystery POV was… Riley. Sneaky little shit. And Edward had his surgery, though it ended not so well for him. Now it appears Bella and the others at the hotel have something or someone waiting for them. More BPOV up next.**

**Thoughts, concerns, questions, theories, or just random comments are always greatly appreciated. Send me some love, although I'm fearing for my life with the cliffie I've left you. Love to all! ;) M**


	26. Fallout

**A/N: Hello my lovelies! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, alerts, and favorites… even if most of you wanted my head on a platter. :) I do try to respond to everyone, but can't when you forget to sign in… so please make sure you're signed in all the way and I can say thank you! Finally, I hope you all had a chance to recoup after the last chapter. Just to let you know, this one's a doozy, too!**

**I have to give a huge shout out to Gumibear26 for giving me a label I wish I'd thought of. She lovingly called me "pregnant authoress" and defended me after that wicked cliffie. Thanks, babe!**

**Thanks to my betas: Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen. They couldn't wait to see how this all went down either.**

**Warning: NSFW. This chapter contains violence against women, gory stuff, and things that will make you cringe. Please do not eat or drink while reading. Your computers will thank you.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I get the amazing distinction of being the pregnant authoress! ****©2010-2011 twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

Jake barely opened the door to the hotel room and asked us to wait in the hall until he took a look around. Emmett asked if he could go with him, but Jake adamantly refused. Slowly peering into the room, Jake snuck through the door silently, leaving it slightly ajar. He drew his gun as he entered, and almost immediately we heard shots.

"Emmett, no!" I screamed as he raced into the room.

I didn't reach him in time, but it didn't matter. Riley bolted out of the room and ran at me and Alice. He clipped my arm with his hand as I turned to run for the stairs with Alice. I stumbled, but managed to stay on my feet. Then I realized… Riley only wanted me. _I can save Alice if I just let him have me._

"Alice, run!" I stopped and yelled when she reached the stairs and turned to look for me. "Go! Run! He doesn't want you. Just get help!"

Riley knocked into my body with blinding force. I was off my feet before I realized he was carrying me back to the room.

"Bella!" Alice cried.

"I said run, dammit!" I hollered back, but I wasn't sure if she heard my plea coming from behind the closed door.

The room was dark, and as my eyes adjusted, I was able to make out silhouettes of furniture around me. We were still in the foyer of the room, and I tried to wiggle out of Riley's arms.

"Stay still, you bitch!" Riley spat while he tried to hold me steady in his arms.

There was no way I was going down without a fight, so I squirmed, and flailed, and kicked his shins until he let go of me. He finally dropped me and I fell to the floor at his feet. I rolled onto my back and took one swift kick upward, making contact directly to his groin. He immediately grimaced and fell to his knees next to me. I was hoping he'd be down for a few minutes, so I jumped to my feet and smacked right into a very large, very bulky person.

"Ugh! You stupid cunt!" Riley wailed at me from the floor. "Watch out, Demitri. She kicks."

"I saw that," the person in front of me boomed. "It was a nice kick, too. But she won't be kicking for long."

The big hulk of a person, Demitri I assumed, easily restrained me over his shoulder before I had a chance to run. As I tried in vain to get out of his grip, questions started bouncing around in my head. How the hell did Riley find us? Where did he get the information? But, more importantly, who else was with him, and where the hell were Jake and Emmett?

"Emmett! Emmett, where are you? Jake!" my voice reverberated around the dark, dreary room as Demitri carried me toward one of the bedrooms.

"Your brother's in here… waiting for you, my dear."

_No… no… there's no way. He can't… no. I'm imagining things._

"I've waited a long time for this, you know."

I stopped fidgeting and went rigid with fear. A bone chilling scream ripped through the air, but I couldn't tell where it came from… or if it was me. I was floating outside of myself, trying desperately to reconnect with reality. Nothing was making sense. Panic overtook my body and adrenaline started coursing through my veins. I was preparing for a fight… the fight for my life.

"Set her down on the bed. Face down please. Oh, and yes… make sure you tie her hands and feet up with these. I'm sure she'll remember how they _sting_."

Rancid, steamy breath washed across my face with his final word. I held back the bile that rose in my throat. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing I was scared.

Suddenly, I was being flipped in midair and landed on my stomach in the middle of a bed. A knee slammed into my back, keeping me pinned down, and hands grabbed my ankles to apply the restraints. Ripcords. Tied so tightly that any movement meant a slice through my skin.

Trying as much as possible, I swung my arms attempting to make contact with whoever was kneeling on my back. No such luck. But when I turned my head, I could barely make out a figure lying on the other bed in the room. He was tied up, too, but was lying face up and staring over at me, gagged and whimpering.

"Emmett! Are you hurt?" I questioned before having my face shoved into the pillow.

"You will be quiet, you slut!" yelled someone above me. "And quit moving, or we'll be forced to start breaking bones."

I could hear Emmett moaning and grunting, trying to communicate with me, then flesh connecting with flesh, followed by his muffled scream.

"No!" I cringed and strained to see what they did to Emmett.

Laughing. Maniacal laughing could be heard from various corners of the room. _Sick fucks._ My arms were stretched out toward either side of the headboard by then, and I could already feel the skin getting raw and breaking open.

"Too bad you're already screwed!" I said and received a sharp slap to my face. "Agents are on their way."

"My, my, my. You don't do well with instructions like I remember. We'll have to remedy that."

"Fuck you, James!" I shouted, and was abruptly gagged with a wad of cloth. I struggled to spit it out, but it was secured in place.

Then I heard shuffling of feet, and the person on my back moved giving me some breathing relief. Hoping Alice already made contact with Leah, I wondered how long it would take agents to actually arrive. And where the hell was Jake? Was there something wrong with him? Did he make it through the shooting?

"Your little agent friends have had a rough few days," began James from the side of my bed. I startled when the mattress creased from added body weight. "I hope you don't mind. My day has been draining and I'd love to relax here with you."

I turned my face away from him, staring at Emmett on the other bed, whose eyes were huge with fear and anger. Feeling James shift again on the bed, he began caressing my hair and running his fingers through it. He leaned down and smelled my hair, and I automatically wanted to vomit. That vile, disgusting creature was actually touching me and I couldn't get away. Tears welled up in my eyes as I fought back the urge to hurl.

"Your friends thought they were being clever," James started as he moved closer to me on the bed. "They fell right into my plan. You see, I knew your house would never be left unattended, and so I sent Riley out to get me information. When your guard dogs… oh, I'm sorry… agents realized what he'd found, they followed Riley back to my cabin and we disposed of them easily."

What? Riley had gotten into the house, and the agents knew about it? Jake and Leah never said a word. I wonder if Carlisle knew. But who were the agents James was talking about? Who was watching the house for us? How many agents exactly did they "dispose" of?

"Settle down!" a male voice warned from the foyer. "You may be tiny, but damn you've got some fight in you."

A pause, then a toe curling scream. _Oh no! Alice._

M y hands went into fists and my head shot up, effectively smacking James in his face. Pulling at the restraints, I felt skin tearing and blood dripping down my arms.

"Shit!" James squealed then roughly pinned my head to the pillow with his hand. He leaned his head close to my ear and whispered, "Listen here. If you try anything like that again, I'll have your friend as an appetizer… to you, the main course… and I'll force you to watch."

James' words sent shivers all over my body.

"Where do you want this other one, James?" called a new male voice from the foyer.

"Just bring her in here, Felix. We'll strap her to the chair so she has a good view of the show."

I felt my body starting to shake with rage as they strapped Alice into a chair in the corner of the bedroom. She was trying with all her strength to break away from the two burly captors restraining her. Every kick, every punch… nothing was fazing them. She finally resorted to screaming and spitting, but they effectively gagged her, too, and put a stop to it.

Feelings of helplessness, vulnerability, and defeat crept through me. I couldn't help but think of the real possibility that this was my last night to live. My last night to breathe. My last night to feel. My last night to fight.

Regretting that Alice ever had to be involved in all of this horrendous crap, I tried to get her attention as James, Demitiri, and Felix walked out of the room. She was restrained with ripcords just like me and Emmett, but at least she didn't look hurt anywhere. We stared at each other from across the room, and I tried to express my regret while she cried and shook her head.

I turned to look over at Emmett and realized he was only trying to break free from his wrist restraints. He wasn't moving his legs. I got him to look at me and questioned him with my eyes. The only response I received was a single tear falling down his cheek. _Those fuckers broke his legs!_ I was steadily gaining more fuel for my plan of revenge. I just had to figure out how I'd accomplish it.

The bedroom door creaked back open, and James and Riley walked into the room. Goliath number one and two were instructed to stay in the living area until called.

"So, where were we?" James snickered as he sat next to me on the bed again. "Ah yes. Your Special Agent was very valiant trying to secure the room for you this evening. Of course, he just didn't quite have what it takes to get rid of us."

My back stiffened and I shivered, waiting for more explanation.

"Did you all really think I wouldn't be prepared for someone like him? Sure, he's a trained agent, but I know my way, forward and backward, around any type of gun. In fact, I have several types available at my disposal this evening. Thankfully, I have contacts in high places, and gaining access to these beauties is far from difficult."

_No!_ His "contacts" had to mean Detective Aro. My heart sank as I wondered how many other dirty cops were in the Seattle police force.

"Having these contacts also comes in handy when I want to _finish a job_, so to speak," James breathed in my ear and my shivers turned to tremors.

He couldn't seriously mean the Seattle police wouldn't be helping us tonight. That meant no one would be saving us, but I was still holding out hope for Jake.

"Felix. Demitiri. Bring in our agent."

The sound of shoes scraping across the floor made me turn my face toward the door. Felix and Demitri dragged Jake's limp body into the room, and tossed him unceremoniously into the chair opposite Alice. I closed my eyes briefly, preparing my brain for what I might see, but opened them quickly when Alice's scream pierced through the silence.

Jake was slumped to one side of the chair, motionless except for his eyes rolling back in his head. He was trying futilely to keep his eyes open as he coughed and blood sputtered from his mouth. Every inch of him was covered in blood in various stages of drying, and a hole in his neck was steadily trickling life-sustaining fluids onto the floor.

Images of my mother flashed through my mind. Jake's face echoed hers exactly from that night so long ago. My nightmare was alive in that moment, and as hard as I tried I couldn't wake up. There was no hope now. We were all going to die.

Alice's screams stopped, but then the vomiting began. I followed her almost immediately, and James removed my gag while Riley removed Alice's.

"We can't have you choking before we're finished with you," James said condescendingly and dropped the rag on the floor. "I'm so glad you approve of how we handled your agent's untimely intrusion. He was able to get a few unsuccessful rounds off before I incapacitated him with a beautiful shot to the neck. But don't worry. He'll be gone in a minute or two."

Alice and I couldn't stop retching. Her vomit was pooling in her lap, mine on the pillow and bed. I had to make myself stop, so I turned away from Jake and held my breath as I stared at Emmett. That wasn't the best idea because he was crying steadily now and staring at the ceiling. He'd lost hope, too, and seeing him losing his strength and composure only made my fear intensify.

"I really do hate seeing you girls so uncomfortable," James continued with false sincerity in his voice. "I think we'll just have to get you cleaned up before we have our way with you."

That got mine and Alice's attention. We froze with our eyes wide as Riley and James moved to the bathroom. Struggling, we both pulled and squirmed to get out of our ripcords. Nothing was happening except deepening the wounds around our wrists and ankles.

"Alice. Alice!" I whisper-screamed over to her and she stopped long enough to look up. "You have to stop. You're going to hurt yourself too badly to fight. Save your energy."

"Bella," she whimpered, "what the hell are we going to do? Jake is practically dead, Emmett can't move, and we're both tied down so tightly we don't have a chance of breaking free. I don't want them touching me. I'm scared, Bella."

Tears ran down her cheeks as she sought my face for solace. Unfortunately, I didn't have any to give her. I still hadn't figured out what I was going to do to get us out of there, but I would have to come up with something fast.

"I'll figure it out, Alice. I'm so sorry you got pulled into all of this. It should only be me here. I'm the one they want."

Emmett grunted behind me. I looked to him and he was pleading with his eyes for me not to do anything stupid. I faked a smile and said, "Trust me."

It was the same thing I asked him to do so many years ago. Something so simple, yet the most difficult thing for anyone to do. Emmett thought for a second then nodded. When I looked back at Alice, she still had her eyes wide, but she nodded as well.

After a couple of minutes, Riley and James returned to the bedroom with water and wash cloths, smiling victoriously at whatever they had planned next.

"Let's get you both cleaned up, shall we?" sneered James as he stalked toward me and Riley sauntered over to Alice.

James took the vomit-soaked pillow out from underneath me and pulled the sheets off the bed as well. I was left lying on the cold, vinyl mattress as James took the linens out of the room. I kept peeking over at Riley, making sure he wasn't touching Alice, but the only progress he seemed to be making was trying not to hurl on her as he scooped vomit off her lap.

When James returned, he wrung out a washcloth and wiped off my face. I protested by turning my head, but he grabbed a handful of my hair and held my head in place. After cleaning off my face, he stood at the side of the bed and glared down at me. I took a chance and asked the first thing that came to my mind.

"Can I brush my teeth?"

James' glare turned into a look of disbelief. He obviously wasn't expecting that question, but I had to buy time to think.

"Please, let me up so I can clean out my mouth. I'm afraid I'll puke again if I keep tasting it in my mouth."

I was trying to justify my request while hiding its true purpose. So far it seemed to be working. James was lost in thought as he stared down at me, and then a wicked smile broke on his face.

"I suppose I could do that," James replied. "I do have plans for that pretty mouth of yours."

Holding back another shiver from the glimpse of his plan, I watched as James reached into his back pocket and pulled out a large knife. He cut the ripcords away from the bed, but left them in place around my wrists and ankles. As he replaced the knife back in his pocket, I slowly got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. James followed close behind me and caught my hand as I went to turn on the light.

"I don't believe that's necessary," he said, pulling my hand and holding it in place behind my back. "You can brush without the lights, and make it quick."

Forcefully pushing me to the sink, I fumbled around with my free hand for a toothbrush and mouthwash. I brushed and swished as slow as he allowed me, but I could sense his frustration by the increasing tightness of his grip around my wrist.

"Thank you," I whispered reluctantly as I wiped off my mouth with a towel. I sure as hell didn't mean it, but if that bought me a few extra requests in the near future, then I'd pour on the fake charm as long as I needed to.

James squinted confusedly then nodded once as he forced me back to the bedroom. He roughly shoved me so that I was sitting on the bed, and I looked over at Alice making sure she was still okay. Riley was still having a difficult time cleaning up her lap.

"Can Alice brush her teeth, too?" I asked before James had time to secure me to the bed. "I think that might help Riley clean up the chair faster, and she can wipe off her clothes in the sink."

Suspicion swept across James's face, but he nodded. He motioned for Felix to cut Alice's ripcords and go with her into the bathroom while Riley cleaned up the floor and took the chair out of the room. She finished quickly and returned to the bedroom with Felix holding her hands behind her back. We shared a glance and I tried to convey my plan for her to play along. She blinked and nodded just enough that only I knew she was in agreement.

"Felix," James interrupted their progress into the room, "just set her on the floor between the beds and secure her to the nightstand. I doubt Riley will be able to do much with her if she's sitting in a chair."

Alice flinched and started shaking. She looked to me for reassurance, and I gave her every ounce I could at that moment. Felix marched her to the space between the beds and threw her to the floor with a thud. She struggled slightly, but was easily restrained with more ripcords then Felix left the room with Demitri. Emmett looked down at her apologetically, and she shook her head as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Hmmm," James pondered next to me, leaning down so his mouth was at my ear. "I think I'd rather have you on your back. That will make it easier for me watch your face when I _fuck_ you. You know you'll enjoy it, you little whore."

My stomach churned and shivers ran up and down my spine. I wouldn't let him touch me… I couldn't. I'd rather die than feel his hands on me.

Emmett started grunting and pulling at his wrist restraints again. Peeking over at him, I pleaded with him to trust me. I needed him to trust me.

I laid down slowly onto my back as James crept up on the bed and straddled my waist. He reached for my wrists and started stretching them above my head to restrain me when I had a thought.

"If you leave my hands free, I can touch you. I mean… I can do more things for you."

The words burned my throat as they left my mouth. Never in a million years would I ever want to touch that despicable monster, but it made him stop. An evil smirk stretched across his lips, and I swear I saw a twinkle in his eyes. I needed my arms free, and I would only have one chance to make my plan work.

Keeping myself calm, I lowered my arms to my sides and waited for James' next move. With a gleam in his eye, he reached down to his pants and started to unbuckle them. He seemed frantic and flustered, focusing only on what he thought would bring him pleasure. As he went to unzip them, I swallowed hard and spoke again.

"What if I helped you?"

Emmett growled and Alice began whimpering again. I kept them out of my mind and hoped I wasn't pushing James too far. Fortunately, James' hands stopped moving, but he started scooting out of my reach and down the bed. His next move was a derailment in the plan.

"You seem eager to please," he said with a questioning tone. "I think I can get used to that, but I'll need you to do something for me first."

He paused and stood at the end of the bed licking his lips before saying, "Take off your pants."

Hesitating briefly, I shakily brought my hands to the button on my jeans. I started to unbutton them, then stopped, which elicited a furious glare from James.

"I said take off your pants!" he demanded, jumping on the bed and straddling me once more.

He raised his hand to slap me as I shut my eyes tightly and asked, "But will you do it for me? I thought you might want to do that."

His hand never made a connection with its target. Opening my eyes after a few seconds, I looked up at James and felt him shift on the bed. His rough fingers snaked down my arms and ran across the skin exposed on my stomach. A trail of goose-bumps erupted across my skin, and he traced a path straight to the top of my jeans.

I watched his face as his eyes focused on the task of removing my pants. His features repulsed me as he continued licking his lips with an evil smile on his face. He was starting to breathe faster, and I realized he was about to unzip my jeans. Acting on instinct, I grabbed his wrists which made him stop, but also sent him into a fury I'd never seen before.

James fell forward, pinning me to the bed with his body. His face was centimeters from mine, and he punched his fists down on either side of my head.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he roared, sending chills through my bones and splattering my face with caustic spit. "No more requests. We're doing this my way now."

Abruptly, he sat back and began tugging at the zipper on my jeans with mania in his eyes. In his haste, the zipper snagged the fabric and stuck in place. Inadvertently, he scooted his hips closer to my hands to get a better grip on the zipper, and I took my chance.

Reaching around his back, I pulled the knife from his pocket that he'd used to cut off my restraints. James didn't have time to react before I sliced the knife through the air making contact with his neck. Blood started immediately spewing from his wound, keeping time with his heart beat, and splattered my face and hair. He gurgled and gasped while clasping his throat with his hands, and fell to the floor with a bang. I sat up quickly, still clenching the knife in my hand, and watched as James writhed in agony on the floor.

Running to the bedroom door, I locked it and flipped the doorjamb closed. I didn't have time to concentrate on the pathetic piece of shit slowly dying on the floor, so I hurriedly cut Alice and Emmett's ripcords before the others came in to investigate the loud bang. Freeing Alice first, she wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in her lap, rocking back and forth while she cried. Then I took off Emmett's gag and cut away his restraints before I helped him sit up on the bed.

"What did they do to you?" I whispered, worry lacing my voice.

Emmett sobbed as he responded, "When I barged into the room, I was taken down by one of those big fuckers. He dragged me to this room where the other one was waiting, and they tag teamed me before I could get away. The next thing I knew they were bending my knees backward over the footboard of the bed, breaking them both. I didn't even have a chance to save Jake. He was down before I made it to the bedroom."

Suddenly, pounding could be heard on the bedroom door... and the door in the foyer. The next thing we knew, guns were firing and yelling resounded throughout the entire suite. I huddled with Alice on the floor and held Emmett's hand while we listened to the shots die away and waited for someone to save us.

I'd tried my best to keep us alive that night, but as we clung to each other behind the locked door, I couldn't be certain it would be enough.

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**A/N: No shortage of suspense around here, and we're not even done yet! Thoughts? Go ahead… leave a review. You know you want to! ;) M**


	27. Safe

**A/N: Hello my amazing readers! I'm so glad you're joining me again after the last two cliffies. The end is near so we're wrapping it up, and I promise they were necessary. Thanks so much for sticking with my characters and loving them along with me. I can't wait to read what you all think!**

**Important announcement below!**

**Thanks to my betas: Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen. You're all tremendously splendiferous!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own a fetus that is waging war on my pelvis. ****©2010-2011 twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

"Stay still or you'll end up like your friend."

"Don't move, fucker!"

"Yeah, this one's gone."

"Fuck you!"

"You really want to push me? You won't stand a chance with those bullets in your leg."

"Where are they?"

"We're not telling you anything."

"Okay, so we're doing this the hard way, I see. Fine."

"Aaahh! Shit! Please don't! All right, I'll tell you. In the other room. He's in there, too."

I could barely focus on anything. Voices floated to us from the other room, but I was only catching bits and pieces. So far it sounded promising, but I didn't want to get our hopes up. Alice and I were still clinging to each other on the floor… her sobbing, me shaking. Emmett was still holding my hand but he was starting to moan and his hand was clammy. I slowly looked to him and saw sweat beading on his forehead. He was growing paler every minute, but he faked a smile down to me. I knew better.

Letting go of Alice, I stood up and helped Emmett lay back down, being careful not to disturb his legs. His breathing had picked up and he looked like he was holding back the pain.

"Emmett, I think we're going to be okay," I lied. None of us truly knew who was out in the living area, but he looked so sick that I had to give him something to keep him strong. "Tell me how to make you more comfortable."

"Bella, just get us out of here," he requested, talking through clenched teeth. "Nothing will help until we're safe."

He was right… always. Alice and Emmett trusted me this far, and I couldn't let them down now. We were going to get out of here; I'd convinced myself of that.

I turned and peered down at Alice who was quivering in a heap on the floor. She reminded me of myself on that terrible night, but at least I saved her from being touched.

"Alice," I whispered and gently touched her shoulder. She jumped in response, but lifted her blood-shot eyes to meet mine. "Sweetie, we're going to get out of here. I need you to be brave for me for just a little bit. Can you do that?"

She stared straight through me while I pushed the hair out of her eyes, but nodded anyway. Then a booming knock was heard at the bedroom door, and I instinctively fell over Alice, protecting her tiny frame.

"Unlock this door now, or we're going to use force!" yelled a mysterious voice. After a short pause, he counted, "Okay. One… two… three."

_Boom!_

"Again!"

_Boom! Crack!_

The door split open and splinters went flying around the room. Too afraid to look up, I shook with Alice on the floor as Emmett gripped my outstretched hand.

"Check them and I'll get the kids."

"No! No!" Alice screamed and clung to me with brute force. "Bella, don't let him touch me!"

"Alice," the new male voice spoke softly. "Please don't be afraid. We're here to help you."

My head snapped up, but I continued to crouch over Alice as her protector. For a split second I thought I was staring at Jake, but I blinked quickly and realized the man hovering above us must be a different agent we'd never met before. He towered over us in an intimidating but gentle stance. His hair was dark and cropped short, and he kept a calming smile on his face as he looked down at us. The only menacing thing about him was the bullet-proof vest and the firearms he had strapped around his waist.

He took a slow step forward and knelt to the ground a few feet in front of me and Alice. "Bella, Alice. My name is Sam Uley. I'm Leah and Jake's superior. I was alerted when Jake sent out an 'all agents respond' signal from his phone. We arrived as soon as we could." Sam stopped and quickly scanned over me, Alice, and Emmett. "Are any of you hurt? We have medical personnel on their way to attend to any wounds."

Emmett's hand started to tremor and Alice clung even more forcefully to my chest as she sobbed. "Yes," I croaked, my voice raspy from fear and crying. "Emmett's legs are broken badly and he needs to get to the hospital. I don't know how much longer he can stand the pain."

With that, I looked up to Emmett and saw he was continuing to lose his color, now so pale I could see every vein under his skin. He slowly turned his head to me and weakly smiled before taking a deep breath and saying, "Please, Sam. I can't move my legs. I know I need help, but I don't want to leave Bella and Alice."

Sam nodded and stood back up. "We need to get you out of here, Emmett. Bella and Alice, you both need to be checked over, too. I'll take the three of you to the hospital and make sure you get care."

"Dammit!"

Alice and I jumped as a new voice rang out in the room. I was so focused on Sam that I hadn't noticed the others standing on the opposite side of the bed. Embry, Quil, and Seth had their backs to us and were crowded around the chair where Jake sat slumped over. Embry pulled at his hair while Quil and Seth shook their heads and pat each other on the back.

"He's gone," Seth said as he turned and rubbed his eyes, a single tear creeping down his cheek.

"That's what I thought," Sam mused as he faced the agents. "I'll tell Leah when I see her at the hospital. He did everything he could. We couldn't have asked for more."

As the agents stood next to Jake's body, my mind tried to grasp the reality of what their words meant. It all seemed so foreign; the letters jumbling in my brain, leaving me scrambling to put them back together. Jake… gone… dead. Not even an hour before, he was talking, smiling, protecting, breathing. Now, his lifeless frame was still, soulless eyes staring into darkness.

"Bella," Sam said as he touched my shoulder to get my attention, startling me. "We have to go now."

The urgency in his voice automatically made me look at Emmett. His breathing was becoming more ragged and his clothes were soaked with sweat. He needed medical attention… and fast.

Medical transporters filed into the tiny room, two for Alice and me, and two more with a stretcher for Emmett. They quickly made their assessments, and had Emmett strapped to the gurney within seconds. Alice wouldn't allow anyone to touch her beside me, so I walked her out of the room with her arms securely gripped around my waist.

Sam directed us to follow Emmett's stretcher into the foyer, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw happening. Agents, detectives, officers… swarms of them analyzed the room, some questioning two people in the corner, others covering a body with a tarp. They were everywhere, but before I could see who they were questioning, we were shuffled out of the room and rushed to an ambulance waiting for us.

We arrived at Seattle Children's before I processed where we were going. The ER staff was ready for our entrance and hurried us back to exam rooms. Thankfully, Emmett was stabilized first and was taken to surgery almost immediately. I was able to kiss him on the forehead before he was raced out of the ER, and was happy to see he was comfortably doped up on pain meds and smiling like a goon.

I couldn't say as much for Alice. She was still clinging to me… fear, suspicion, and desperation coating her features. Sam stood guard in the hall as doctors tried their best to separate Alice from me. She screamed, kicked, and even spit to get them away. The only thing that calmed her down was when Esme finally made it into the exam room.

As soon as Alice noticed her, she practically ran Esme over while clawing my eyes out in the process. Esme caught Alice in her arms before falling to the floor due to the impact. Alice curled up into a ball on Esme's lap, and they both cried on the floor in the doorway. Esme rocked Alice and ran her fingers through her hair to calm her.

I watched them huddled on the floor, and couldn't help but wonder if that's what I was like the night my parents died. So terrified, so worried, so lost. Not knowing if I was truly safe, or if it was just the beginning of my torture. Luckily, Alice had her parents to run to in light of her fear. I smiled down at them because I knew they'd be okay eventually. The worst was over for now, and they'd have each other to lean on.

Esme looked up with bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She smiled up to me as she reached for my hand and pulled me to the floor next to her. Embracing me tightly, she held me to her side and kissed my head as she chanted, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

We sat like that for several minutes, relishing in the moment and simply listening to each other weeping. By then, Alice finally started to calm down and the doctors decided that was their opportunity to step in and complete their assessments. Alice flinched slightly with every new touch, but at least she wasn't fighting them anymore. She sat relatively still in Esme's lap and nodded when I asked her if it was okay for me to go to the other exam room. Before I left with the nurse, Esme gave me one last squeeze and kiss as she whispered, "I'm right here if you need me. Love you."

After being checked over and having my ankles and wrists bandaged, the nurse helped me wash the blood off my face and out of my hair. I also got a clean pair of scrubs to change into, and Sam took my clothes for evidence. Alice received the same attention, and when I went back into her exam room, I saw her sleeping restlessly on the stretcher clutching Esme's hand to her chest. I walked through the door as quietly as possible, but Alice stirred and insisted I stay close to her. Looking around the room, I noticed the only chair was already occupied by Esme, so I curled next to Alice on the bed. As soon as she realized I was behind her, Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me close. I closed my eyes and sighed in relief knowing we were safe, and gripped her hand even tighter. Calming me even more, Esme combed through my hair and hummed softly until I was asleep as well.

/~/+/~/

"Bella, honey?" Esme's voice woke me and I sat straight up, worried something was wrong.

"Wha… What's wrong? Is Alice all right? Emmett?" I stuttered and looked beside me, realizing Alice was sitting up, as safe as when I fell asleep.

"Nothing is wrong, Bella," Esme assured. "Sam just asked me to wake you both. He wants to ask you some questions about tonight."

I glanced at the clock on the wall. Two o'clock in the morning. I'd only been asleep for about an hour, but I was wide awake and wired with adrenaline. I was definitely ready to get everything off my chest, but I wondered if Alice felt the same.

Sam was standing against the wall near the door, and started, "I'll just need each of your versions of the events that took place from the time you left the hospital late last night until we met you in the room at the hotel."

Alice shivered and I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, whispering in her ear, "You're fine now. Safe. No one will hurt you. You'll feel better if you talk to him."

Her breathing hitched and her lips trembled, but she nodded and held Esme's hand for extra support.

Sam directed me to speak first and I told him everything I remembered. It surprised me how detailed I was able to be, and how unafraid and relieved I felt to have an outsider know the truth. As I spoke, Sam leaned against the wall taking notes, only looking up occasionally to make sure I was still okay to continue. After stopping with the arrival of the agents, Sam turned to Alice for her portrayal of events.

I learned that after I screamed at her to run, Alice made her way to the stairs without hesitation. She immediately dialed Leah on her cell, but instead of getting out a full sentence, Alice yelled, "Leah… hotel… Help!" Unfortunately, her escape was cut short then by Felix, who easily picked her up and smashed her phone on the stairs. The rest of her recollection coincided with mine, and when we finished, Sam informed us of the one thing I'd been wondering since we left the hotel.

"Thank you, Bella and Alice. You've given us valuable information, and we commend you for your bravery tonight. In regards to your heroic handling of the situation, Bella, I wanted to let you know James will not be able to hurt you anymore. He bled out by the time we barged into the room."

Waves of relief, sadness, anger, and happiness swept through me in seconds. James was gone… for good. No more fear of the unknown, constantly looking over your shoulder, jumping because of every little noise… and I did it. I killed him. That scum bag motherfucker couldn't get to me, or Emmett, or my family ever again. But no matter how brave I was, or how fast I acted, it would never bring back my parents. They'd always be dead because of him. Never again could I hug them, kiss them, eat Mom's cheesy macaroni, or tell them I loved them. James took that from me forever, and now I'd taken his sad excuse for a life. But at what cost to me?

Then it hit me, the realization that I'd taken someone else's life. _ I_ killed him. I'd had his blood on my hands, my face, in my hair. Blood that coursed through his veins while he tortured countless others, while he abused them, while he killed them. Did that make me a better person? Did that mean I should be guilt free? What made it okay for me to take a life, but so horrendous for him?

I shook my head and rubbed my eyes to clear my thoughts. They were getting into dangerous, philosophical territory, and I wasn't prepared to go there yet. Resolving to talk with Dr. Whitlock about it as soon as possible, I decided I wasn't a bad person no matter how much I scrutinized the situation. I'd saved our lives and possibly several more with my defensive actions, and nothing could turn back time to change the outcome. So I'd deal with it later, and that was that.

Sam pushed himself away from the wall and walked toward Esme. "I'll let the doctors talk with you, Mrs. Cullen, regarding their plans of admission to the floor for Alice and Bella. I'll escort you up to their rooms, and then Seth will take my place so I can return to the hotel. Make sure they get some rest and we'll discuss the finer details with Mr. Cullen and yourself in the morning before debriefing the entire group. No one should need you until then and the children will be placed on black-out, but if anyone starts demanding questions, tell them you're not allowed to reveal information at this time."

Esme and Sam shared a knowing glance, and I couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with that dirty, piece of shit, Detective Aro. It all seemed very fishy that he'd fallen off our radar after Jake and Leah warned him to back off our case, and now we just happened to be in his jurisdiction when the shit hit the fan. Highly suspicious if you ask me. That son of a bitch should rot in hell right alongside James.

The doctors came into the room shortly thereafter and gave us information about moving to the floor for precautions. They would work closely with the agents to ensure maximum privacy, and also keep us in the hospital as long as was needed.

Before going up to our rooms, I asked the doctors if they knew anything about Emmett's surgery. They said the surgeons were still deciding how best to proceed because of the severity of the breaks, but I would be notified when he was stable enough for visitors. Holding my hand and comforting me, Esme assured me she'd wake me if she heard anything during the night. As unacceptable as that was, I decided getting pissed about it wouldn't make it any better. So I complained internally and trusted Esme to be my eyes and ears on any new developments.

After paperwork was signed, the nurses wheeled us to our adjoining rooms and Seth replaced Sam as our guard. Esme kept her promise to Sam and made sure the nurses on the floor let us sleep through the night. She stayed with Alice in her room, only because I insisted. But I knew she wouldn't listen for long, and woke up when she came to check on me throughout the night. It was an amazing feeling knowing how loved and cared for I truly was.

/~/+/~/

Waking up in the morning, I saw the sun was shining in through the blinds making bright stripes on my covers. I rolled over, glanced at the clock, and bolted out of bed. Eleven thirty. _Shit!_ Edward was supposed to be off the vent by then, and I wanted to be there if he needed me. Racing out the room while haphazardly pulling up my hair, I smacked right into Seth.

"Whoa, Bella!" he chuckled. "Where are you going?"

"I… uh… Where's Esme?" I said and blushed bright red as he steadied my clumsy ass.

"She's with Alice in her room. I'm not sure if they're awake yet, but you're welcome to check."

Nodding, I went to the door and gently knocked. "It's Bella. Can I come in?"

"You don't have to knock, sweetheart," Esme smiled as she opened the door. "Come on in. And in case you're wondering, I just heard that Emmett made it to the recovery room. He should be ready for visitors in about an hour."

_Holy crap! Emmett!_ I couldn't believe his surgery took that long… or that I'd completely let him slip my mind. My shoulders slumped forward because I seriously must have been the worst sister ever. It wasn't that I didn't care, I just knew Esme would be keeping tabs on all of us and would be sure to let me know what was up.

"Oh, Bella," Esme began, sensing my frustration. "It's okay. You shouldn't feel badly about that. I was just getting ready to go and tell you. The recovery room nurses will call us again when he can see us."

I huffed and sheepishly looked around the room. Alice was sitting on the bed, pulling at the corners of her sheets. She didn't seem to have gotten much sleep, but who could blame her? After what she witnessed, I was surprised she could sleep at all.

"Alice has been asking for you since eight," Esme spoke as she sat back down in her chair. "But I told her you needed to sleep, so we didn't disturb you."

"Yeah, Mom kept saying to leave you alone, that you deserved it or something. Whatever," Alice joked, rolling her eyes and slightly grinning. She held her arms open for me to give her a hug and I quickly complied.

"It's great to see you at least trying to smile this morning," I countered. "I was really worried about you."

"No you weren't," Alice replied, playfully punching my shoulder as I pulled out of our hug. "You just wanted to go see Edward, but Seth derailed you."

"You know, I think you're right." I punched her right back and continued, "No one else matters to me. You're all just pawns in my master plan."

We both laughed and hugged again, interrupted by a smirking Esme. "Well, since you're both awake and snarky, would you like to see Edward? They took him off the vent around five this morning. He's been breathing fine on his own with no seizure activity, but he hasn't tried to say anything yet. His sedation medications are still wearing off, and it's anyone's guess how long that will take."

Alice and I perked up, and we were on our way to see Edward in under a minute. When we arrived at his room, Carlisle was talking with Leah out in the hall. They both looked exhausted, and Leah's eyes were red, like she'd been crying. Seth went to her, wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he spoke, and then she left abruptly.

Looking to Carlisle and Esme for answers, they simply shook their heads and pushed us into Edward's room without a word. He was still lying motionless in his bed. The only differences were the absence of tubes and less IV bags hanging on his pump. Edward breathed steadily, not struggling in the least. The monitor above his head kept a slow, calming rhythm to his heart beat. He just looked like he was peacefully sleeping, and I didn't want to disturb him.

Esme sat down on one side of his bed and picked up his hand with hers. He didn't seem to stir except for subtle finger twitches. She looked over at me and motioned for me to come closer. Cautiously moving toward the other side of his bed, I occupied the other chair and peeked at Carlisle still standing in the doorway. He nodded once and smiled, and I slowly reached over the bedrail to hold Edward's free hand. As soon as our skin touched, a familiar, warming current swept through my arm causing me to sigh. Then Edward's fingers shakily intertwined with my own, and he rasped out, "Bella."

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**A/N: Yay! Edward's coming out of his coma and his first word was "Bella." I really do love these two. They make me happy-sigh. We also know Bella successfully killed James, but poor Jake didn't make it either. Sorry to all the Tay-cob fans out there. It made the story more realistic. ::hangs head in remembrance:: He will be missed.**

**Next chapter will most likely have a combo of POVs, and we'll have answers to everything that's been happening to these danger-magnet kids.**

**I also wanted to let everyone know that there is one more real chapter and an epilogue left to my story. It may take me slightly longer to get these last two additions out, as my current body-raiding parasite of a fetus hates when I sit at the computer for too long. So please bear with me.**

**Thank you again for staying on this wild ride, for all the reviews, for all the alerts, and for all the favorites. I'm sad to see it coming to an end, but I'm excited about my new story, so make sure you stay posted! ;) M**


	28. Release

**A/N: Hello, hello, hello! ::ducks head to avoid jabs about the recent WP abandonment:: I promise I have six legitimate reasons for taking some time away from writing, but I won't get into that here. I'm so freaking happy to be back that I can't keep the smile off my face. I missed all my readers so much! Thank you so much for the continued reviews, alerts, and favorites! I can't tell you how much each and every one of them makes this so much more enjoyable. I have the best readers in the universe!**

**Thanks to the betas for flying through this as warp speed: Twifan82, Sovereignvision, and Jenny Cullen. Also, thanks to Jenny Cullen and Sunflowerfields for keeping in touch and making sure I didn't get lost in my drama. Love you girlies!**

**More A/N to follow with a baby announcement!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own never ending laundry and a house I can't seem to keep clean for more than two minutes ::sigh:: ****©2010-2011 twicrack83**

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_*~*BPOV RECAP*~*_

_I slowly reached over the bedrail to hold Edward's free hand. As soon as our skin touched, a familiar, warming current swept through my arm causing me to sigh. Then Edward's fingers shakily intertwined with my own, and he rasped out, "Bella."_

*~*BPOV*~*

I felt the air leave my lungs in a rush as I gripped Edward's hand tighter. My heart soared! Relief, joy, excitement… words couldn't describe my feelings in that moment. Looking over at Esme, I saw a tear creep down her cheek and a smile spread across her face. She was just as relieved as I was, and as I glanced at Alice and Carlisle, I realized they all seemed more relaxed.

Edward's grip on my hand slacked as he took a deep breath and turned his head toward me. I expected him to open his eyes or say something else, but all I got was a small, half-smile, then an open mouth complete with drool.

"Well, that's attractive," Esme said as she grabbed a hand towel to wipe off Edward's cheek. "At least he's talking and recognizing familiar people. We know he's going to be fine. He just needs the meds to wear off more before he starts making sense."

Finally, Edward was emerging from his coma and all signs pointed to an uncomplicated recovery. _One less thing for me to worry about._ As I stared at him lying comfortably in his bed, I wondered how long we would have to wait before he was cognizant again. I needed to tell him what happened, what he thankfully missed. I needed him to lean on, but I knew he needed me to be his rock first. Then after he was in the clear, I could go all crazy-teenage-freak-girlfriend on him and he'd just have to deal with it.

"Bella, honey," Esme interrupted. "The PACU called again, and Emmett is asking to see you. Do you want to go down now?"

"Huh?" I muttered, still lost in my thoughts. "Uh… Oh, yeah. Emmett, right. Yes, I'd love to go see him. Did they say if he was okay?"

"The nurse said he was doing great, but he was worried about you. I think he was badgering them so much that they caved and called for you."

_Yep, that's Emmett._ He must have been feeling great if he was worried about me. After kissing Edward on the forehead and whispering that I'd be back soon, I walked down with Alice, Esme, and Seth to the PACU. Emmett was being watched by a nurse as she programmed an IV pump, and I saw Sam standing next to his bed.

"Well, hello there," Emmett boomed as soon as he caught sight of me. He smiled the biggest, goofiest grin I'd ever seen and called for his nurse. "Hey, Kathy! Look! It's my sister, Bella."

_Oh, boy. Emmett's lost his flippin' mind. Come to think of it, I could go for some of those meds right about now._

"Yes, dear," replied his nurse. "She's lovely and I'm sure she's very excited to see you, too."

I could hear Esme and Alice giggling behind me. Honestly, it was difficult not to. I was trying my best to keep a straight face, but I had to laugh when I finally got to Emmett's bedside.

"Come here, Belly-boo," Emmett chimed as he pulled me down to him in a crushing hug. "I missed you, but these nurses are awesome! They keep giving me drugs for my pain, and I can't feel anything below my waist. It's great!"

"Yeah, Emmett," I chuckled, feeling better that I knew he wasn't in pain. "That does sound amazing. Did the doctors tell you what they had to do in surgery to fix your knees?"

"Um, I think so, but I can't remember anything right now. I'm sure I'll be fine, but I'm really hungry. Ooooh! I know! Kathy, can I have some chili-dogs? I really want a chili-dog. Pleeeaaasssee?"

By now, Sam and Seth were barely containing their smiles, and Alice and Esme were laughing openly. Emmett was giving his nurse the best sad puppy dog impression he could muster, but he ended up looking like a crazy drunk guy who needed some psych meds.

"What?" Emmett questioned. "I _am_ hungry for chili-dogs. But don't blame me for the idea. Blame Optimus Prime over there in the chair next to the green horse. He told me they have wonderful chili-dogs, and he eats them every day."

Laughing without restraint and grabbing my stomach, I turned to where Emmett motioned that Optimus Prime was sitting. Of course no one was there, and the nurse jumped in the conversation before we all started losing our minds.

"Okay, Emmett. I think we need to let you rest. You've seen your sister now, and she can meet you again when you're in your room upstairs."

Emmett's expression changed from excitement to terror faster than Kathy got the words out of her mouth. He started clambering for me over the side of the bed and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"No! I need her to stay!" He pleaded then looked up at me with tears in his eyes. "Bella, you'll stay, right? Please don't leave me!"

I watched the nurse expectantly and saw her smile down at Emmett with pity in her eyes. "Well, I guess that will be all right, but the other visitors will have to return to the waiting area. We just don't have enough room in here for everyone."

Emmett's grip relaxed slightly, but he wouldn't move his arms. I was stuck in place, and that was fine with me. Rather than leaving him feeling terrified, I'd stay by his bed as long as he needed me. But the extreme horror I saw in his eyes was creeping me out, and I wanted to make sure it was the meds making him emotional, not that he was truly freaked out about me leaving.

Esme stepped up next to me and ran her fingers down the hair on my back. "He'll be better when some of these pain meds wear off. Edward does this, too, when he comes out from surgery. The meds just make them excessively sensitive. They're like big two-year olds with separation anxiety issues. But you call me if you want me to come back down, okay?"

I nodded and Esme kissed my cheek before Alice gave me a hug. Seth agreed to stay with Emmett and me to make sure we got to his room without incident after he was released from the PACU. Sam escorted Esme and Alice back upstairs, and he mentioned we would all be debriefed of the previous night's events after dinner.

Not looking forward to that conversation, I sunk into the chair next to Emmett's bed and held his hand while he slept off the rest of his pain meds. His nurse explained that family wasn't normally allowed to see the patients until they recovered for longer due to the way he reacted. They normally make sure more of the anesthesia wears off, but he was being very insistent. His nurse was worried that making him wait would do more harm than good, and his reaction to my potential leaving was confirmation that she was right. I questioned how long before he was sent to his room, and she expected him to sleep for quite awhile considering how many pain meds she'd given him, but she hoped to have him up to his room in another hour or so.

More time waiting, more time thinking, more time worrying. _I really shouldn't be left to my own devices. _I needed to talk to someone, to get some of this crap off my chest. I glanced at Seth every once in a while, opening my mouth to say something… anything. But he just didn't seem like the best person to listen to a whiny, teenage, drama queen. He had more important things on his mind… like making sure Emmett and I stayed alive. So, I bit my tongue and waited, patiently holding Emmett's hand until he started stirring about fifty minutes later.

"Kathy?" I called for the nurse and she came straight to the bedside. "I think he's starting to wake up."

"That's wonderful," she commented, smiling as she took his blood pressure again. "He seems much calmer now that more of the anesthesia has left his system. His vital signs look great. Let me see if he responds more appropriately now." She reached down and gently brushed Emmett's hair off his forehead saying, "Emmett… Emmett, honey? Can you hear me? Will you open your eyes for me?"

Emmett groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Can I sleep some more? I'm so tired."

"Of course, dear. I just need you to answer a few questions for me first. What's your name and birth date?"

"Emmett Swan, September thirteenth."

"Good! Do you know where you are, Emmett?"

"I… I think I'm in the hospital."

"Yes you are. That's perfect. Can you tell me who is sitting next to you holding your hand?"

He turned his head in my direction and a soft smile lit up his face. "That's my twin sister, Bella. She has my same birthday."

The nurse smiled and a small laugh escaped her lips. "That's wonderful, Emmett. Thank you for answering my questions. You can go back to sleep now, and we're going to send you up to your room on the floor. Bella will stay with you the entire way, okay? You feel better soon."

"Thank you, Kathy." With that, Emmett was back to sleep and snoring before the nurse walked away to fill out paperwork.

Kathy was confident Emmett was ready to move to his room, and she assured me the nurses on the floor would watch him closely and stay on top of his pain meds. I must have asked her twenty times what his recovery period would consist of, but she kept saying "everyone was different" and she couldn't give me a definitive time frame. The doctors came by one last time before he left the PACU and were glad to see Emmett resting. They wouldn't tell me exactly what they did to fix his knees, but they did say he had "new hardware" that would make airport security an adventure.

I was a little relieved to know he was at least fixed, but he had a long road of recovery ahead of him, especially since he basically had two brand new knees. I knew Emmett was strong, but he wouldn't like the idea of being out of commission for any length of time. He was in constant motion, and he was also a huge help to Rose since she was still in her braces. That would be his biggest concern, and making sure Rose was in good working order would be his priority. I just hoped he wouldn't let his own recovery go on the backburner to help her along.

After getting Emmett settled in his room, I called Esme and Alice to see how Edward was doing. He hadn't said anything since I'd left, but he was stirring more and making incoherent noises like he was trying to talk. I wanted to see Edward again, and asked Emmett if he would be okay for awhile without me. Emmett grinned, complete with dimples, and practically shoved me away from his bed stating he'd be great because he was hooked up to a continuous pain med pump and probably would be sleeping the entire time anyway. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and ruffled his hair before heading to Edward's room.

"Hey, Bella," chirped Alice when I showed up at the room. "I think he wants you. Can't imagine why, though."

I popped her lightly in the arm with my fist and walked to the bed. He was pretty restless and his heart rate was getting fast. I reached for his hand and he instantly started to relax.

"Edward," I whispered as I sat in the chair next to his bed. "Can you hear me?"

He squeezed my hand weakly, but didn't say anything.

"Are you in pain?" Esme questioned from the other side of the bed.

"He squeezed my hand twice, Esme," I said and looked at her confusedly.

"Oh good," she replied. "Two is no, one is yes. That's how we communicated with him that last time he was coming out of his coma. Edward, sweetie, do you know that Bella is holding your hand?"

_One squeeze… stronger this time._

I smiled and nodded at Esme.

"Good! Do you want her to stay for a while?"

Another squeeze and he gripped my hand even tighter, like he was trying to keep me in place. Again, I nodded at Esme.

"That's what I thought," Esme confirmed. "I was just getting ready to call for you, Bella. He was getting so fidgety. It's good to see him calmer now that you're here. Was Emmett okay with you coming to visit?"

"Emmett was great," I answered. "They started a Morphine PCA before he got to his room, so he was feeling really good when I left. He said he wanted to sleep some more anyway, so he sent me here. Did the doctors tell you anything about his surgery?"

Esme took in a deep breath and peeked at Carlisle in the corner of the room. "Carlisle, will you let Bella know what the doctors said about Emmett?"

"Of course," he replied. "But I think Edward will have to let you leave so we can talk in the hall."

Edward held tight to my hand. His breathing picked up and his heart rate pinged loudly on the monitor. He definitely knew something was wrong, and it was driving him crazy that no one was keeping him informed.

"Edward, you have to let my hand go," I begged. "I promise I'll come right back. I need you to stay calm for me while I'm talking to your dad. We all need you to get better before we tell you what's going on."

He squeezed once as hard as he could, almost crushing my fingers in the process. His face scrunched up in disappointment, but he released my hand and I walked with Carlisle into the hall.

"The doctors had a difficult time with Emmett's surgery," Carlisle started as I took a seat next to him on a bench. "His kneecaps were shattered beyond repair and the tendons and ligaments weren't in much better shape. They tried their best to save what they could, but they ended up giving him total knee replacements on both knees. Because of the extensive damage to muscle and tissue, his recovery will take a long time, months perhaps. He won't be able to play sports for a while… or maybe ever."

I hunched forward in my seat, letting my face fall into my hands. "Oh my god! That's shit! Why does this crap happen to us? He's gonna be so upset. He doesn't have a clue this is coming." I was fuming. Tears were falling down my face as I looked up from my hands. "Where's Sam? I need to know what's gonna happen to those fuckers! They've screwed up our lives again, and this time they'll pay!"

I went to get up off the bench, but Carlisle grabbed my arm and settled me before I could run to Sam.

"Bella, I know you're upset. That's very understandable at this point, but you can't go ripping off these guy's testicles just yet. You'll get your turn in time, but right now we have to be patient and let the process go as planned. Sam will talk to all of us this evening and give us more information. I promise you _will_ get justice when this is all over."

As reassuring as Carlisle's words were, I was still livid. Calming down didn't seem like a valid option, or at least one that I wanted to consider. Emmett was laying in a hospital bed with knees so jacked up that he had months of recovery ahead of him. I had scars on my wrists and ankles that would be a constant reminder of those nights. Alice was forced to live through a trauma no one should ever experience. And Jake was dead because he was trying to save us from those bastards.

"I… I think I need some time," I mumbled, staring at my lap. "Can I sit here for a while until I wrap my head around a few things? I won't run off… promise."

Carlisle nodded and patted my shoulder. "I'll let Edward know you'll be back in a while. Take your time."

So, I sat. I sat and I thought, mulling over every shitty thing that happened to me. The more I thought, the worst I felt. One low-life, sick, sadistic, dickhead had to ruin my life. He took away my parents; he scarred me, both physically and emotionally. He killed innocent people in my place, and now he'd hurt the only family I'd known since the beginning of the foster home fuck ups.

My head was spinning. I hated feeling sorry for myself, and I didn't want anyone else's pity either. Why did this have to be my life? Why did it feel like the world was out to make sure I lived a miserable existence for eternity?

I stopped myself at that thought. What about the Cullens? Edward? Alice? Tanya and Irina? All the agents? These glimmers of hope and goodness that broke through my intense darkness. They didn't deserve a sulky mess like me. They were the lights that helped me through. I had to focus on their energy and let that guide me through life, not on the shadows that would only bring me further into despair. I _would _get my justice, and in that justice would be a loving family, safe from the terror of those fuckers; safe from the constant worry and depression they forced into my life. These struggles would not bring me down, but give me motivation to live life to the fullest because I never knew when it would be taken away.

Sitting up straight, I rolled my neck back and forth, relieving some tension from my musings. I glanced at the clock and noticed I'd been lost in my own little world for over two hours. I'm sure Sam was keeping a close eye on me, but I didn't expect the others to let me be myself for that long, especially Edward. I would have figured he'd sent for me by now, but Carlisle and Esme must have made him tough it out without me.

Slowly walking back to Edward's room, I noticed his eyes were open and he was staring intently at the door.

"There you are!" he rasped out. "I was getting ready to send Alice after you."

Smiling, I went to his bed and sat on the edge near his waist. "You look better," I commented. "I'm actually surprised you _didn't_ send Alice for me. I had no idea I was out there that long. Sorry I kept you waiting."

Edward grinned and sighed, closing his eyes as he grabbed for my hand. "That's okay. I've been waiting for your hand for what feels like forever. This is nice. Thank you," he smiled and paused, then opened his eyes and glared at everyone saying, "But what I really want to know is what the hell is going on, and why won't anyone tell me anything?"

/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/+/~/

*~*EPOV*~*

I stared right at Dad, trying my hardest to burn a whole straight through him. The evasiveness was getting ridiculous, and I needed answers before I got a raging headache. Even when I wasn't awake enough to talk coherently, I knew they were keeping things from me. The whispering was annoying and Alice's crying jags were freaking me out. Answers were going to be given or heads were going to roll.

"Edward," Dad started, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "We already told you that we have to wait until Sam gives us the information. I want everyone to hear it at once. A united front, okay?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes. "I'm not stupid, Dad. Don't treat me like a child. You can at least tell me why Alice and Bella have bandages on their wrists, and… and," I stopped and looked around the room, "where the hell is Emmett?"

Alice started whimpering in the corner next to Mom, and Dad took a deep breath, looking between Bella and Alice. "If Alice and Bella are okay with that, then we can tell you that portion now. However, I _will not _make them tell their story if they're not ready. Got it?"

Now I was scared on top of being pissed off. What the fuck happened that would make Alice cower in a corner and Bella look exhausted beyond comprehension?

I turned to Alice, who had her eyes closed and had started shaking, and then to Bella, who was staring at her hands while they fiddled with the hem of her shirt.

"Whoa, okay," I said, trying not to be the bad guy. "Whatever happened must have been seriously heinous. You both look like you'll flip out if you tell me, so I'll just wait."

"No," Alice and Bella chimed together. Confused, I glanced back and forth between them trying to get a grip on what was about to happen. They were staring at each other knowingly, having a silent conversation, and Alice slowly nodded as she sunk into a heap on the floor. Mom quickly sat next to her and cradled her as she sobbed.

Bella closed her eyes, seemingly collecting her thoughts, then began her story of the previous night. I wasn't prepared for what she told me, and the further into her portrayal of events she got, the worse I felt. Not just because of my growing headache, but feeling like the worst boyfriend and brother in the history of the universe. I hadn't been there. I wasn't able to help them. They suffered something unimaginable, and nothing I could say or do would ever make it go away.

As Bella relayed her story, I noticed she would catch herself at certain points and change the direction of her thoughts. She was keeping portions of the events to herself that seemed to cause excessive stress for both her and Alice. I wasn't about to push her for those details, though. She'd tell me in time, and I'd wait as long as I had to. But even with the missing information, I got the gist of what happened. Jake was dead. Alice and Bella had been restrained. Emmett's knees were broken so badly he needed surgery. And Bella killed James. It all made for one very shitty night. _That's a major understatement… moron._

And now we all had to wait for the final verdict of how and why everything decided to explode in our faces while away from home. When Bella finished telling me as much as she felt comfortable with, I understood why Dad wanted us to be a united front. No one should have to hear that by themselves. It had the potential to be too much even for the group of us to hear.

With Bella's words swimming in my head, I started to feel like I was drowning. I didn't know which way was up, and the more I struggled to comprehend the information, the less air I had to breathe. Not being able to sort through the events made me feel helpless. I couldn't even bring myself to speak; I just sat there in my bed, staring dumbly at Bella, watching her cry and listening to Alice bawl on the floor.

Eventually, I snapped out of my stupor and scooted to the edge of my bed, letting my legs hang over the side. Reaching for Bella, I pulled her up to sit next to me, and squeezed her tightly to my chest. Her crying turned to full-blown sobs, and her body shook while I tried to calm her. The noise from my monitors was easily drowned out from the surround sound of weeping emanating from all corners. Everyone was crying. No one knew how to stop. It was miserable.

After several minutes of nonstop tear-shed, we all grew quiet, but remained clutched to those around us. Dad, Mom, and Alice were huddled on the floor, and I kept Bella close to my side as I ran my fingers through her hair. We'd successfully cried ourselves out, and were ready for this to be over. Unfortunately, Sam had other plans.

"Is it all right if I come in, Mr. Cullen?" Sam asked from outside my room door. "The nurses want to move Edward to another room closer to Emmett's, and then we can start the debriefing."

Alice and Bella stiffened at his mention of the debriefing. Dad glanced between them both, and they nodded slightly in assent. Better to get this over with than let it drag out forever.

The nurses helped Mom gather up all of our belongings, and we were on our way to a room next to Emmett's in minutes. Apparently, my doctors expected a full recovery and didn't see the need to keep me in the PICU since I already seemed so coherent. Good news was no more tumor. _Yay me._ Bad news was the night wasn't over yet, and Sam was ready to rip our happy, ignorant lives to shreds.

Since I was able to sit in a wheelchair and Emmett couldn't get out of his bed yet, we all gathered in Emmett's room and waited. At least he was in good spirits.

"Hey guys!" Emmett shouted as we filed into his room. "Good to see you, Edward. Glad they pulled all that shit outta your head. Oops… sorry, Esme."

"That's quite all right, dear," Mom forgave, and cracked a small smile. "I think I can let it slide this time, as you're hopped up on Morphine."

"Oh, yeah. That stuff's amazing. Best. Invention. Ever!" he exclaimed as he pushed the button to give him more. "Any time I feel the least bit of pain, I just push this and I'm off to La-La Land. No pain is awesome! But why are we all congregating in here? Shouldn't you all be eating dinner or something?"

Dad explained how Sam would be joining us shortly, and that we would be getting some much needed answers about what happened. Emmett's demeanor quickly changed from carefree, goofball to overly worried, scared little boy. Mom noticed first, and went to his side to hold his hand. Bella went to his other side and did the same, pulling me with her in the process. Alice stayed close as well, and was next to Mom in the blink of an eye. Dad went to the door and summoned Sam.

"Good evening," Sam greeted as he and Seth walked into the room. "I'm going to get down to business rather abruptly tonight as I need to return to our headquarters, but please stop me with any questions. I know you're all wondering how this could have happened, especially since you had twenty-four hour surveillance from our agents. Well, I'll try my best to keep the events in order, but they get a little jumbled when other participants become involved.

"Two of our agents, Paul and Jared, were instructed to watch your home in Forks while you were away. They were surveying the property remotely through video cameras and noticed movement. They watched as the house was broken into by three individuals; Riley and Felix Balstaff and Demitri Post. Paul immediately notified Jake and Leah who told them to stay low until reinforcements could arrive. They did as they were told initially, but got into trouble when they followed the intruders back to their hideout where James was waiting, about twenty miles away.

"The details at this point are slightly sketchy, but Jake received a message of their whereabouts shortly before we lost contact, giving us their exact coordinates. Other agents were mobilized to the scene, but by the time they arrived, Paul and Jared had been overtaken and killed."

Bella gripped my hand tightly and took in a sharp breath. I knew she couldn't stand the fact that other people had to die protecting her. She'd feel guilty about this for a long time.

"When the intruders broke into your home, they were gathering information, not collecting valuables. They knew you hadn't been in the house for some time, so they were fairly confident it was safe to break in. While inside, they figured out you were staying at the Watertown in Seattle from a voice message left on your answering machine. That set the ball rolling for James and his cohorts to find you and corner you."

"But I don't understand?" Dad interrupted, rubbing his eyes. "Even with that information, how were they able to find out which room we were in? And how were they able to actually get into the room? We used an alias and told them not to allow any visitors under any circumstances."

Sam shifted his feet and nodded as he began explaining again. "Hmm… yes. Those are all the same questions we asked ourselves, along with, 'who gave them that information,' and 'why did it take so long for the Seattle PD to show up?' As soon as we asked, we knew our answers."

"Detective Aro," Bella whispered as she turned pale and sat on the edge of Emmett's bed to steady herself. Everyone else took in a collective sharp breath, feeling stunned beyond recognition. Speechless, breathless, dumbfounded. Then Bella started swaying next to me and quickly dropped her head between her knees, puking all over the floor… and my feet.

"Ugh… oh my god!" she rasped out, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. I gathered up her hair the best I could, and glanced at Emmett. He was seething mad, shaking, and looking like he could rip somebody's head off with his bare hands.

Looking to Mom, I realized she was already in motion, getting towels to clean the floor… and my feet. Sam watched with concern, but wasn't sure if he should continue.

"Are you all sure you want me to keep going with the details? I can wait until…"

"No, dammit!" Bella yelled, cradling her face in her hands, still staring at the floor. "We've waited so long that time is starting to move in reverse. I can't wait anymore! It's driving me insane to know you have all this information and I'll go off the deep end if I don't have that info, too." She raised her head slowly and looked straight at Sam with tears in her eyes. "Just, please don't stop now. I need this to be over."

Sam cleared his throat and Dad took a deep breath, nodding for him to keep going.

"Well, it seems you've come to the same conclusion we made earlier this morning. Detective Aro was a responsible party in this crime. When James figured out where you all were, he immediately made a call to his old friend, Aro, detailing his plan. Aro then made an appearance at the hotel, gathering information on your room. He was able to bypass our security measures by waving around his badge and spouting off false claims that we'd contacted him with special orders to procure keys to the room for more agents and deputies. Luckily for him, the concierge at the desk was relatively new and didn't want to get in trouble with the law, so she made extra key cards and readily gave them to Aro.

"Aro then met up with James, Riley, Felix, and Demitri in the parking lot of a grocery store. He gave them officer uniforms and, of course, the keys he'd had made from the hotel. When our agents watched the video surveillance from the store lot, we also saw James handing over several weapons, all of which we found in your hotel room.

"After receiving their arsenal, keys, and uniforms, James and the others separated from Aro and travelled to the Watertown to wait for your return. They marched in dressed as officers, and no one approached them to ask for identification or motive. After finding your room, they camped out, simply waiting for your return so they could kidnap and do with you as they saw fit.

"Now, after Leah and several other agents received Jake's high alert, she immediately called local law enforcement as she was unable to leave the hospital. Unfortunately, the person she spoke with was also one of Aro's buddies, and he stalled in dispatching the call to officers in the area, meaning no one was close enough to respond quickly.

"Our agents were the first to arrive, but as you know, we were too late to save Jake. Before we barged into the bedroom where you were held captive, there was a scuffle in the main living area of the suite. Riley and Demitri were wounded, but Felix was hit with a shot to the head and died on the spot. We apprehended the two survivors, took them in for questioning, and are sending them to a high security holding cell as we speak.

"As we mourn the loss of one of our own, we also know the unimaginable trauma you three experienced can never fully be taken away. But Bella..." Sam paused, taking a breath in relief, "you've single-handedly done away with James, something we've been trying to do since the night your parents were killed."

Weeping took over Alice, Bella, and Mom. Emmett shielded his face with his hands, but his shoulders were trembling with his sobs. Dad tried comforting Alice and Mom, while I tried my best with Bella. This was too much. Too much information, too much crying, too much of a clusterfuck to get my head around.

"But why was Aro still able to be involved?" questioned Bella, wiping her bloodshot eyes. "Didn't you have incriminating information on his previous involvement with James? Why the fuck wasn't he put away before all this shit happened… again!"

Sam took a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck, and started, "Detective Aro is conniving and has ways to defy even the best of agents, including myself. Our agents watched him closely; we searched through countless records; we even had a spy. But through our efforts, we never gained enough evidence to convict him beyond a shadow of a doubt of being involved with James and his murders. He slipped through the cracks and we can't tell you how sorry we are. However, in the last couple of nights, he got careless and now we have all the information we need to ensure he'll never be a free man again."

Bella shook her head in disgust, wiping the endless tears off her cheeks. She was beyond appeasement at this point, and Sam knew he wouldn't be able to get past her wall of hatred.

"I can see that you're all worn out from this information," said Sam, looking around at everyone. "I need to get going, but before I leave, are there any other questions or concerns?"

Bella continued shaking her head, angrily wiping away her tears. Emmett held his hands in fists, knuckles turning white in frustration. Alice and Mom wept uncontrollably, and Dad and I sat powerless to stop the tension from dancing around the room.

"Okay. I think I've said everything I can at this point," Sam declared, walking to the door. "Seth will be here with you this evening, but I can be summoned in a moment's notice, so don't hesitate to contact me with anything."

As he left the room, numbness crept through my limbs. I couldn't imagine what everyone else was feeling. A dull ache spread through my heart as I watched Bella, Alice, and Emmett cry. The rest of the night we huddled in Emmett's room, clinging to each other. No one spoke. The only sounds produced were muffled wails and the occasional scrape of chairs on the floor. Eventually, eyes ran dry and exhaustion took over. Holding Bella in my lap as she finally calmed enough to sleep, I only hoped tomorrow would bring a new beginning for her without darkness.

The End

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**A/N: Well, hopefully I answered most of your questions. The epilogue is next and will have even more goodies for you to feast your eyes on. I hope this ride was worth it, and that you stay tuned for the epi. I promise not to make you wait as long for the final installment.**

**This is where I always planned to stop. It seemed fitting to begin with darkness and end in the same respect. But my dear readers… you have asked for more, and so you shall receive! Your HEA will be expanded upon in the epi. I hope you like it! I've saved the sappy A/N for that, too.**

**Baby update: About half way through this story, I announced the hubs (Sovereignvision) and I were expecting our third little rugrat. We are happy to announce the arrival of our little guy was on May 4th. He was six days late, and I was beyond exhausted and ready to evict said child from my body. After a short labor, a 10 pound 5 ounce and 22.75 inch baby boy finally graced us with his presence. He's part of the wait you've all experienced, and I thank you all so much for patiently waiting.**

**Love to all! ;) M**


	29. Epilogue: Full Circle

**A/N: Hello my lovely readers! Sorry for the wait on this, but I hope it's worth it. Get your tissues ready and grab a snack. This is my longest chapter. So, strap yourself in and get ready for the finale to this wild ride. There's a little bit of everything in here. Enjoy!**

**Sappy A/N to follow :)**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. With a heavy, but happy heart, I get to press the complete button on this story. ****©2010-2011 twicrack83**

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*~*BPOV*~*

_Ten years later…_

"Are you ready, sweetie?" Edward called to me from downstairs. "We really have to go."

"Almost… I think," I responded, finishing up my mascara and straightening my dress. "You know I hate these things. Remind me why I agreed to do this… again."

"Because you secretly enjoy the torture of everyone singing your praises," Edward cooed into my neck as he snuck up behind me, and wrapped his arms around my waist. "You look amazing, by the way. Maybe I won't make you go tonight. I'll keep you home in _my _torture chamber instead."

I melted into him, closing my eyes, reveling in the feel of his strong arms holding me close. "As much as I'd love to stay home and suffer the wrath of you instead, I think Doctor Whitlock would skin me alive if I missed the banquet." Turning to face him, I planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "Now, let me finish getting ready before I change my mind."

Heading down the stairs with Edward in tow, I heard the doorbell ring. "Can you get that, babe?" I asked Edward. "I think it's Em and Rose."

He smiled his best crooked grin and gave my ass a small squeeze before walking to the front door. I continued to the kitchen as I heard Emmett and Rosalie make an entrance.

"What's up, bro?" Emmett boomed. "Where's Bella? Freaking out again, or did she finally realize this is good for her?"

"Hey guys," Edward greeted as he shut the door. "No freaking out this time. She's just in the kitchen getting 'the list' ready."

"Ah, yes," Rose chimed in, rounding the corner into the kitchen, giving me a hug. "The infamous 'list.' I can't imagine getting by without it."

"Har-har, Rose," I snickered, returning her hug. "You know I'm just anal about this stuff. Besides, it makes me feel more comfortable with leaving them, so shove it. You know the drill. Breast milk is in the fridge, sterilized bottles are on the counter, diapers and wipes are on the changing table, bedtime routine is outlined on 'the list,' and…"

"I think we can handle ourselves, Bells," Emmett interrupted, hugging me and squishing me in the process. "It's not like we haven't done this before. The girls are almost fifteen months old now. We've gotten enough practice to handle our own crew," he finished with a wink and a dimpled grin lit up his face.

"Wait… What? Is this some kind of announcement?" I questioned, glancing back and forth between him and Rose. "Are you really…?"

"Yes!" Rose exclaimed, glowing. "We're pregnant! I couldn't believe it when I took the test, either. But we went to the doctor and the ultrasound confirmed it."

She whipped out the ultrasound picture and passed it to me practically bouncing in place. I grabbed the pictured and pulled Rose in for a tight hug.

"Way to go, big guy," Edward congratulated Emmett, patting him on the back. "Finally got one past the goalie, huh?"

"Actually," Emmett smiled and took the picture out of my hands, showing Edward. "My sperm are so spectacular, we're having twins!"

Squeals erupted from me and Rose as we hugged again. "That's fantastic, you guys!" I shouted. "We'll just have to make you watch the girls more often… for practice, you know."

"Deal… as long as you promise to help us out when our little ones get here," assured Emmett.

"Of course, man," guaranteed Edward. "We'd love to return the favor." Looking down at his watch, Edward explained, "Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, we really do have get going. Come on, Bella. Let's go and say good-bye to Lily and Emma before we're late."

After saying our good-byes and congratulating Rose and Emmett again, we were finally on our way to the banquet. Doctor Whitlock was sponsoring this year's charity banquet to raise money for children with psychiatric illnesses. He'd invited me every year since I could remember, but this year I finally got up the nerve to actually attend. This year's focus happened to be post traumatic stress disorder, and he asked me to speak about how I overcame my fears. _It should be interesting to see how I handle the fear of speaking in front of a crowd of hoity-toity rich people, too._

As we made the hour long drive, I reminisced about all of the events leading to my full recovery. It all started at Jake's funeral…

"_Thanks for coming," Leah greets us, wiping tears from her cheeks and giving us all hugs. She leads us to some chairs off to the side of the closed casket. Apparently, the embalmer wasn't able to cover up Jake's neck wounds enough to be suitable for viewing, so Sam and Leah opted for minimal exposure. I secretly wished they hadn't. It would have been nice to see at least one peaceful, tear-free face that day._

_Carlisle and Esme walk in front of Alice and I, as I push Edward in his wheelchair. We were able to convince Tanya and Irina to allow Edward a day pass, but Emmett was still in quite a bit of pain at the hospital, and his surgeons weren't willing to risk further injury. Emmett was really upset at first because he wanted to pay his respects in person, but he relented after a particularly painful physical therapy session and admitted he wasn't quite ready to go anywhere. I was glad he wasn't there to watch me crumble._

"_I really appreciate you all being here," Leah says while we walk. "It's been such a difficult time the last few days. Sam's going crazy trying to keep me from going over the deep end… especially since I need to be calm for the baby." She places a hand on a small bump I never noticed before on her stomach. "Sam said he's taking me off cases indefinitely. He doesn't want anything to happen to me since we've already lost Jake." She stops abruptly, and looks down at her hands, twirling a ring around her left ring finger. Taking a deep breath, she continues, "He was so excited. He would have been the best father ever."_

_I look at Alice and Edward, trying to see if they know what's happening, but they seem just as confused as me. _

"_Forgive me, Leah," starts Carlisle. "But we haven't told any of the kids because we weren't sure if you wanted them to know. I think I should explain."_

_Carlisle and Esme proceed to tell us how Jake and Leah have been married for two years and recently found out they were expecting their first child. They always worked cases together, but never felt the need to tell clients about their personal life and never wore rings on the job. However, during this case, it became necessary for them to divulge that information to Carlisle and Esme in the event Leah would need to take leave. Jake insisted Leah started taking light duty, and when Sam caught wind of the pregnancy, he forced her to resign her post on the case._

_Alice and I start sobbing. Already overwhelmed from the previous week's events, we break down. Leah tries to comfort us, assuring us that she would be okay, but I can't stand the thought of the baby growing up without his or her father. I know what that was like, and no child should have to experience that._

_As we take our seats, I stare at the casket. A monstrous wooden tomb, holding a lifeless body; a body that will never hold his child, never hear its voice, never feel its kiss on his cheek. My thoughts quickly turn to my parents' funeral, and I feel myself begin to tremble. All the feelings of sadness, regret, fear, and uncertainty come rushing back to me, and I lose it. I was back in that moment, staring at my father's and mother's closed caskets. No one could console me, back then or now. A helpless little girl, lost to the world, a victim of tragedy, a slave to her fears._

_Curling into a ball on the floor and covering my ears, I scream at the top of my lungs. I rock my body back and forth, keeping my eyes tightly closed, willing it all to disappear. But every time I open my eyes, the terror takes over and I spiral further into panic mode. Every time someone touches me, the screaming gets louder. Eventually, I can't tell if it's really me screaming or not. I turn into myself, a slave to my fears once again._

I still didn't remember the rest of that night, or the next few weeks, for that matter. Everything blurred into one big, horrendous clusterfuck, and I didn't particularly care to feel that way again. I was a zombie, literally walking around feeling dead inside. There was even a time when I wished everyone felt like me so they would quit treating me like a poor, little scared girl and leave me the fuck alone.

Over the next few months, I went to therapy with Doctor Whitlock… a lot. I vaguely remembered him talking with Esme and telling her he was truly worried that I'd never recover. He didn't see a drive in me, couldn't get me to care enough to start turning things around on my own. So, he started suggesting meds and I flipped my shit.

No way would I take those nasty things again. They made me feel numb, even number than I felt already, and I hated it. So, I bucked up and started trying. I tried to be happy. I tried to move past my insecurities. But it took longer than I wanted, and I ended up pushing people away in the process.

My behavior did a complete one-eighty. I screamed at everyone on a daily basis, including all the Cullen's… even Edward. Our relationship was basically nonexistent other than him saying "good morning" or "good night," and I'd start to cry just because I couldn't see any "good" in anything anymore.

Alice and Emmett seemed to be fairing much better than me in the recovery department. Sure, they had their moments, but nothing like me. I was known to get physical and beat up anyone who stood in my way. Unfortunately, Emmett and Rose witnessed a meltdown where I started throwing things and broke her parent's china cabinet. Not a good day.

Carlisle and Esme were distraught. They didn't have a clue of what to do with me, and Emmett was at a loss as how to help me, either. He came to some of my therapy sessions with hopes of getting some insight into what was making me insane, but all it did was make him scared of me. No one wanted to be around me anymore, and those that tried either got yelled at or got things thrown at them.

Eventually, I moved past the angry stage and went straight into the "be careful around Bella because if you breathe wrong she'll cry" stage. I actually think this stage was worse since my crying jags would last for days and no one could avoid it. At least when I was angry, people could just walk away and not deal with me, but when I was crying, you could hear me wailing within a five mile radius, and no amount of industrial strength ear plugs could shut me out. I was a mess, but thankfully, that only lasted about three weeks.

After I cried myself out, I began my slow recovery. I'd go to therapy sessions and actually participate, and I started smiling more and going out with friends. Edward and I even started saying more than four words to each other, and he managed to get me out of the house on a date or two.

On a lighter note, Emmett and Rose made full recoveries during my absentmindedness. They were both brace free by high school graduation, but Emmett was never able to play sports again. They helped each other cope with their losses, and we all watched them get closer with time.

I continued to make "great progress" according to Doctor Whitlock. He was happy to see my attitude towards therapy had improved, and had confidence I'd keep getting better. The only things he could foresee as potential setbacks were the upcoming trials of Riley, Demitri, and Aro. But Doctor Whitlock planned to keep a close eye on me during that time and offered to make house calls if necessary.

Thankfully, the trials were over and done with in record time. The evidence brought forth against them was irrefutable, and the juries had an easy time with convictions. Throughout the trials, Emmett, Alice, and I were called to talk on the bench. Those were the worst days. Physically exhausting and mentally draining, you never knew what questions the Defense would come up with. One of the attorneys would inevitably throw us for a loop with a ridiculous question, we'd end up crying, and the judge would call a recess. At least we had a strong family to pick us up and brush us off. We were always ready for the next round.

Sentencing took even less time, and they each got to look forward to maximum security prison for the next 80 years without the possibility of parole. We didn't want the death penalty. It seemed like too easy of a way out. Solitary confinement seemed like a good substitute. Hopefully they'd waste away into nothingness while going mad and ripping off their own limbs in the process. Then maybe, just maybe, they'd know a millionth of our pain and suffering.

After that, my life started falling into place. I noticed I was smiling daily and fear wasn't a constant emotion anymore. Not having to always worry about someone chasing me, or someone trying to kill me, was a huge relief. I'd often find myself happy, actually happy and content with how my life turned out. Eventually, I stopped seeing Doctor Whitlock on a regular doctor-patient basis, and only saw him when Alice would drag me and Edward along to pick up Jasper for a double date. It was a wonderful feeling to let go and not care about anything.

Carlisle and Esme were a huge help during my recovery. Even though they felt lost at times, I was grateful they never gave up on me. They pushed me to do better, they cradled me when I fell, and they loved me no matter what. It was all I could hope for and I'd never be able to repay them for it.

When high school was winding down and graduation was looming over our heads, Carlisle asked Emmett and me to have a talk with him and Esme. It didn't turn out the way I thought it would.

"_Please have a seat," Carlisle starts and motions to the two chairs opposite him and Esme at the dinner table. "We need to talk to you about where you're going from here."_

_This was it. We knew it was coming to an end, our blissful life with this amazing family. We couldn't have asked for more, and now they were getting ready to send us out on our own._

"_Have either of you thought about what you're going to do after graduation?"_

"_Umm, no," Emmett mumbles._

"_Not really," I stutter, looking down at my lap._

"_What about college?" Esme asks._

"_Well," I begin, still staring at my lap, "it never seemed like a possibility. We don't have any money to our names and no one willing to fork over tens of thousands of dollars at the moment, so I think we both just figured we'd find apartments, get jobs, and sail off into the proverbial sunset."_

_Emmett kicks me under the table and gives me a dirty look. He hates how I've returned to snarky-ville, but what can I say? I'm feeling feisty today. Carlisle and Esme exchange smiles, and Esme speaks._

"_Okay, that sounds… wonderful. But what about this?"_

_Reaching down under the table, she pulls out two rather large packets and slides them across the table, giving one to each of us. As we flip them over we notice they're blank. I'm thoroughly confused at this point, so I open my package and find several applications to colleges around the U.S. Even more baffled now, I peek over at Emmett and realize he's received the exact same thing, and looks even more perplexed than me._

"_We are asking," Carlisle says, looking utterly pleased with himself, "that you will fill out whichever applications appeal to you and send them in. We're not saying we'll pay for it all, but we'll help you out as much as we can. In other words, we want you to go to college!"_

"_Oh no," I whisper, peering between Esme and Carlisle. "I don't… I can't… There's no way we…"_

"_Please don't worry about it, Bella," Esme interrupts, grabbing my shaking hand. "With Edward getting almost a full-ride, and Alice following the same route, we looked into their college funds and noticed they have more than enough saved up to get them through their educations. We have no need for the money ourselves, and we want you two to have it and get going on careers of your own." She pauses and squeezes my hand, "There's just one stipulation."_

_Dun, dun, dun…_

"_You both have to promise you'll always call this home and come visit us on breaks and during the summers."_

_Our jaws drop and I see a tear fall down Emmett's cheek. We're both shaking now, and I feel all the blood drain from my face. This is definitely not where I thought this conversation was going. I figured they were planning on maybe giving us a little cash to get us out of their hair. Instead, they were sending us to college, and it was pretty much going to be paid for in full._

_As I pick through the documents in my hands, I notice these were all the same colleges Edward applied to. Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, Princeton. I can't help but think, "there's no way this is really happening," but then I take a deep breath and look at Emmett's astonished expression and know it's not a dream._

_Looking up at Esme who's still holding my hand, I open and close my mouth several times to speak, but nothing comes out. My usual word vomit has turned into silence, and for once, I can't think of a smart-ass remark. Emmett, as usual, saves the day._

"_Are you sure? This is really too much. You have no obligation to us whatsoever."_

"_Obligation?" Carlisle questions. "No one said anything about obligations. We're doing this because we love you two like our own children, and we want you to have the same opportunities as them. Just because you've had some unfortunate things happen in your past, doesn't mean it should ruin your future. So, say 'thank you' and accept it, or we'll fill out the applications for you and send them in ourselves."_

_He ended with a crooked smile and Esme joined him. Emmett and I chewed on our thoughts for a few more minutes as we perused our piles of paperwork. Then we excitedly thanked Carlisle and Esme, and agreed to their stipulation of always calling their house our home. We were really going to college, and never had to worry about being without a home… or a family to share it with._

"Whatcha dwelling on over there?" Edward asked, pulling me from my thoughts. "You seem really distant. Are you okay?"

"What?" I startled slightly and shook my head to clear it. "Uh, yeah. I'm great. Just thinking about how lucky I am. I never would have thought I could claim to be anything but a magnet for danger, but here I am." I turned to look out the window of the car, and mumbled, "It's a little overwhelming, I guess."

I heard him shift in his seat and I felt his hand on mine. "Bella, you know you don't ever have to be overwhelmed. You deserve every bit of happiness you can get your hands on, and I for one, don't regret anything that's happened to get us where we are right now. I love you, Bella and wouldn't have you any other way."

His words are calming and I grip his hand, signaling I agree. I definitely did deserve happiness, and love, and the comfort of a family. There was no shortage of wonderful memories I could think about instead.

"_Are you kidding me?" I whine, as I slip on the cocktail dress Alice has so meticulously picked out for me. "This seriously has to be a joke."_

"_Quit complaining, Bella," Alice yells from the living room of our college apartment. "You'll wear what I have laid out for you, and you'll like it. I don't want to hear anymore complaining. He'll love it and you'll thank me later."_

_We all ended up going to Cornell, and Alice insisted she room with Rose and me when she arrived. Emmett roomed with Edward and Jasper across campus, and we barely managed to keep ourselves out of trouble. It was the craziest four years of my life. We partied like animals, ate cold pizza for breakfast more times than I care to remember, and woke up hammered more often than not. You know, I take that back… it was the best four years of my life!_

"_But you can see my entire back in this thing!" I whine some more, just to see what she does. "It cuts off dangerously close to my ass, and I'm worried my underwear will show."_

"_Then don't wear any, silly," Alice retorts, walking into my room. "Why complicate things?"_

_She comes up behind me and adjusts a few straps, allowing the dress to naturally flow on my curves. The dress barely grazes the floor and has an elegant neckline that shows just enough cleavage to be acceptable. Alice then snatches the underwear from my hands and tosses them unceremoniously on the floor._

"_There. Come on," she says and pushes me toward the bathroom. "He's gonna pick you up in like twenty minutes, and I still have to do your hair and make-up."_

_The "he" she's referring to is Edward, and he's taking me out for a very expensive, very extravagant, very unnecessary dinner to celebrate our upcoming college graduation. We'd spent the last four years studying our assess off so we could go to medical school. He eventually wanted to be a brain surgeon, and I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Aside from us, Alice was taking the artistic route, while Jasper studied American history. Emmett was going after sports medicine and Rose wanted to be an obstetrician. However, things don't always end up the way they're supposed to… but that's another story all together._

_Finally, Edward arrives just as Alice finishes my make-up._

"_How do I look?" I ask, and giggle as I spin around to show off._

"_I'd fuck you," Alice replies with a smack on my ass. "You kids behave tonight."_

_We laugh and hug before I make my way to the door. As I open it, I see Edward standing there with a lovely bouquet of flowers in his hands, wearing his dark grey Helmut Lang suit, with the top couple of buttons undone on his shirt. The suit jacket lays open and his shirt is un-tucked. His hair is the perfect mixture of bed-head and his desperate attempt at taming the mess. Sex-in-a-suit. Yummy._

"_Good evening, ma'lady," Edward starts, bowing forward and handing me the flowers with his best crooked grin spreading across his face. "Your chariot awaits."_

"_Hey there, stud," I counter, taking the flowers and smelling them. "You want some wine with that cheese?"_

"_Yes, I think I would. Better get used to it, sweetie. There's plenty more where that came from."_

_He follows me, grabbing me around the waist as I walk to the kitchen and place the flowers in a vase. I feel a soft kiss at the base of my neck and lean into him._

"_Thank you for these, by the way. They're beautiful."_

"_No biggie," he says as I turn to face him, still wrapped in his arms. "But they don't compare to how beautiful you look tonight."_

"_Ugh… again with the cheese."_

"_I only speak the truth, my dear."_

_I smile and blush, getting up on my tiptoes to give him a much needed kiss. We linger in the kitchen, lips and tongues doing the only talking we want at the moment. I feel his hands roaming my exposed back and shiver from his touch. Then Alice interrupts us when she walks into the kitchen._

"_Ahem… gross! I eat in here. Don't you guys have to be somewhere anyway? If you plan on making your reservations, you better get going instead of ruining my appetite."_

_I break away from Edward and comment, "I wouldn't be talking, short stuff. I walked in on you and Jasper using the counter as a prop during one of your 'sessions,' and I couldn't eat in here for a week."_

_Edward and I shiver at the memory, but Alice smiles fondly as her cheeks redden._

"_Yeah… that was a great night," she remembers._

"_Okay, eww," intercedes Edward. "I think that's our cue, Bella. Let's go before anyone gets even more grossed out."_

"_Sounds great," I reply, and we make our way to the door, while I call back to Alice. "Don't wait up for me, sweet cheeks."_

_We arrive at dinner, and Edward has the car parked by valet. Snazzy place. We're escorted by the maître d' to a secluded room near the back of the restaurant, and as we take our seats, I recognize Edward's all of sudden gotten very fidgety. He even gives me his "I'm hiding something" smile and can't seem to stop playing with his fork._

_I leave well enough alone and focus on the waiters as they bring us our courses. The meal is beyond amazing; almost as good as when Edward made dinner for our first date. We chat between plates, but I still feel like Edward's not really in the present. He's getting progressively antsy, and by the time dessert arrives, he's practically causing the table to vibrate from his leg bouncing._

_Just as I'm getting ready to ask him what's up, my cell begins to ring._

"_Come on," I pout as I search through my purse, trying to locate that damned piece of modern technology. "It has to be in here somewhere."_

"_Um, Bella?"_

_I look up from my bag, seconds away from just dumping the contents on the table, and see Edward kneeling on the floor. He's holding my phone… and a little blue box._

"_Oh shit!" I blurt out and stare down at him, my hands still lost in my purse._

_He silences my phone and sets it shakily on the table. Peering up at me, Edward removes my now trembling hands from my bag and holds them in his._

"_Bella, ever since you came into my life, I haven't been able to think of anyone else. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met, and I can't imagine a life without you. I kneel before you here tonight and ask you to spend every moment of forever with me." He pauses to open the box in his hand. The ring is blinding as he slips it on my finger. "Will you marry me?"_

_Instead of answering, I maul him, jumping from my chair and landing on Edward. The force of my attack causes us both to fall to the floor, and I attach my face to his in an intense kiss that I feel straight down to my toes._

_Edward breaks away, laughing, and looks up at me. "I take it that's a…"_

"_Hell yes!" I scream, and continue molesting his lips. "You're so getting lucky tonight, cheese boy."_

"_That's what I was counting on, soon to be Mrs. Cheese boy."_

_I playfully slap his shoulder and we practically run out of the restaurant, not able to get home fast enough._

That night was amazing. A perfect mixture of raw, carnal need and slow, sensual love. Thank goodness Alice wasn't at our apartment when we got back, either. I later found out she knew about Edward proposing for a month before that, and was the one who called my phone at the perfect moment. She also deliberately made herself scarce as to not ruin our evening. She was always great at planning ahead.

At that thought, another memory dances around in my mind; our wedding. Alice helped me organize every single detail. Of course, there wasn't much to do since we opted for a beach wedding with just our family and close friends, but she made sure the day was beautiful and went off without a hitch.

Then there was the honeymoon. Oh my! Two weeks in Aruba and no one to bother us but the birds frequenting our secluded hut near the ocean's edge. But even they were quiet when we were anything but.

"_How do you do that?" I pant as Edward leans over me, placing soft, teasing kisses from my breasts to my belly button._

"_Do what?" he asks, smiling, knowing exactly what he's done._

"_I see you smirking down there. I know you're feeling pretty confident in your skills right now. It never fails… death by boobiegasm. How will I ever go on?"_

"_Don't give up on me now. There's plenty more where that came from, and the sun hasn't even set." He continues tracing his path of kisses up and down my torso, making me shiver with want. "I haven't even used my best stuff, yet."_

"_Well, then I'm gonna need to get prepared, because that was some pretty good stuff already. And… mmm… yeah… do that again."_

_I'm already beginning to see stars as his hands get involved in the debauchery. He's barely touching the skin on my thighs and runs his fingers closer and closer to where I need him most. Finally, he slides them through my folds, gently caressing my clit as he pumps agonizingly slowly in and out. He takes one of my swollen nipples in his mouth, and my eyes roll back in my head. I feel myself getting close again, but I want him to finish with me this time._

"_Edward… please… I need you."_

"_As you wish," he whispers against my skin, and glides himself to my core._

_Both sighing in relief as he enters me, we lose ourselves in each other. Nothing else matters in this moment, and we move as one, getting closer to release. He pushes up to a kneeling position, holding my hips in place as he moves, and angles himself in a different way. He's hitting just the right spot, and the new sensation sends me careening over the edge._

"_Oh, fuck yes!" I moan, clenching around him and giving myself over to the ecstasy._

"_Shit! Mmm… Bella. Fuck!" Edward grunts, dropping his head to my chest. _

_And just as quickly, he's lost with me and neither of us cares if we ever find our way back._

"You sure you're okay, Bella?" Edward asked, looking at me with concern as he makes a turn at a stop light. "Now, your cheeks are all red and you're breathing fast."

I giggled, knowing he's caught me at an inopportune moment. "Yes, I assure you I'm better than most. Just daydreaming about you, is all."

He smiled. "Well, from the expression on your face and the way you're basically breathless over there, I'm guessing I was pretty good."

"You never disappoint," I replied with a wink. "Are we almost at the banquet?"

"Actually, yes. I think we have about ten more minutes. Are you nervous anymore or still hanging in there?"

"Surprisingly, I'm holding it all together pretty well. I thought I would've flipped out by now, but I'm feeling rather calm about it all."

Being the center of attention was never my strong suit, but this banquet was one instance where I knew I could do a lot of good. I had to reach out and let others know they weren't alone in their struggles. Maybe then they'd learn how to pull through their grief and be a happier person, too. I struggled for years fighting my pain and fear, allowing it to take over and ruin my life. But with the help of family and friends, I was able to move past my self-loathing and embrace the world around me.

This was actually why I changed my career path from psychiatrist to child life specialist. I wanted to make a difference in children's lives every day, and that path helped me realize my dream. Working with children on a daily basis gave me the opportunity to guide them through tough times. Even if it was something as simple as getting an IV placed, I knew I could impact their day and make that experience less stressful. And knowing I made a difference gave me an extra boost in my recovery.

Seeing me change my career path for the better, Edward also jumped off the medical school wagon and boarded the culinary train. He admitted that although being a brain surgeon would be rewarding, he really wasn't into guts and glory. Preferring pots and pans to scalpels and scrubs, he opened his own bakery. We both took flying leaps away from our comfort zones and never regretted a minute. Now, we were back in Washington, living about thirty minutes away from all our friends and family, and Edward got to bake his infamous cinnamon buns, while I helped children smile.

The others pretty much stayed their course. All moving back to Washington after graduating college, they began their careers. Alice opened a trendy, little boutique in the shopping center next to Edward's bakery, and Jasper taught history at the high school. Emmett was also at the high school teaching physical education and coaching the football teams. Rose never made it to med school, either. She decided nursing was more her thing, and was working at the hospital with me. All in all, we were extremely happy with where our careers were taking us, and we loved working and living so closely to each other.

Shortly after making the decision to move back to Washington, we found out we were expecting our first child. We were ecstatic and told everyone we knew. Unfortunately, around twelve weeks, we lost the baby. The doctor said moving and starting new careers placed an inordinate amount of stress on my body, resulting in the loss of the pregnancy. No matter what way you put it, I lost a baby, and I was devastated for weeks.

Forcing all of my energy into the move, I let myself relax and ended up getting pregnant again in about three months. This time, the pregnancy thrived, and we welcomed two beautiful girls into our lives thirty-seven weeks later.

"_Edward," I groan, trying to hoist my enormous, twin-toting body off of the couch. "I think I'm going to bed."_

"_But it's seven o'clock," he retorts. "We still have Tosh.O to watch tonight."_

"_I know. Just DVR it for me, okay? I've been exhausted all day, and the four hour nap I took this afternoon hasn't seemed to put a dent in it. If I feel better in a couple of hours, I'll come watch it with you. But right now, all I want is my body pillow and for 'baby A' to quit dancing on my bladder."_

_He gives me his best sad puppy dog eyes, but I'm too wiped out to argue. As I make my way up the stairs, I feel like I'm peeing on myself._

"_You have got to be shitting me!" I shout. "I can't even walk up the stairs without pee-… Oh crap! Edward! It's time!"_

"_Time for what?" he asks and rounds the corner from the living room to the stairs. "I thought you were going to… Oh! Baby time! Oh my god… baby time! Okay… think!"_

"_Just get the freaking suitcase and meet me in the car."_

"_Right… suitcase… car."_

_He rushes past me up the stairs, giving me a quick kiss in the process, and grabs the suitcase. He's down the stairs and to the car before I am, and opens the door, helping me in. He's bouncing in place, tugging on his hair, and to be honest, it's really cute._

_Eighteen hours of labor and one epidural later, Emma Carley and Lily Marie were finally here. Carlisle and Esme were the first to make it to the hospital, but the rest of the clan wasn't far behind. I felt sorry for the hospital staff that had to deal with all of our shenanigans, but we were all together, and those were my favorite times._

"How's Alice doing, by the way?" I questioned, as we turned into the banquet center parking lot. "I meant to call her today, but completely forgot."

"She's doing great, and she called earlier to say that she knew you would forget and not to worry about it. Jasper is staying with her at the hospital, and the doctors think they can get at least three more weeks out of her as long as she listens to them and stays on complete bedrest."

"Stubborn little shit, isn't she? She needs to keep those three in there as long as she can. She doesn't want them to end up in the NICU."

Alice and Jasper were married the year after us, but they went at it like bunnies trying to start a family. After two years of no success on their own, they turned to fertility meds, and wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, they were having triplets. Around thirty weeks, the doctors ordered her on bedrest because the babies weren't gaining weight and her blood pressure was skyrocketing. Now, at thirty-four weeks, they were happy with the progress, but Alice was losing her mind being confined to a hospital bed all day. I visited her as much as I could, but she was getting hard to be around. I had a difficult time telling her no, and I'd end up getting us both in trouble for helping her get out of bed or taking her foods she wasn't allowed to eat.

"We're here, sweetie. You ready for this?" Edward asked, bringing me back to the present.

"I guess I have to be, right?" I faked a smile and took a deep breath.

"You know you are. I know you are, too. You'll do fantastic, and if you don't," he winked and leaned closer, "you'll have my wrath to deal with later."

"Well, then I'm gonna bomb just for you."

He smiled and gave me a searing kiss, thoroughly removing any tension left in my body. Separating from his lips, I said, "Let's do this thing!"

Doctor Whitlock, Carlisle, and Esme greeted us at the door. We exchanged hugs and they all gave me words of encouragement before taking our seats. The banquet was wonderful, watching several moving shorts about success stories and hearing from various speakers. Finally, it was my turn to take the stage. Edward squeezed my hand reassuringly as I rose from my chair and kissed me on the cheek.

When I got up on to the microphone, my heart was pounding erratically. I took a few steadying breaths and looked out over the audience. As I scanned the crowd, I focused on the brightest smiles staring up at me; Carlisle, Esme, and Edward. They'd helped me more than they knew, and this was my time to thank them. I smiled down at them and started my speech.

"Good evening everyone, and thank you Doctor Whitlock for inviting me to speak for such a great cause."

I paused to breathe again and found my inspiration staring brightly at me. I'd finally found my family, the place where I belonged, and I grinned with happiness.

"Tonight I'll share my story with you. The story of how I lost one family and gained another. A story of hate, anger, compassion, and love. But most of all, the story of how I learned to smile again."

* * *

**A/N: So, there you have it. Hopefully, all of your questions have been answered, and if I missed something, ask me in a pm or review and I'll be glad to answer you. Writing this story has been such a wonderful journey, and I'm so glad you have all come along with me. I can't tell you how awesome it was to read all of your amazing reviews and get all of the favorites and alerts. The only thing I ask of you, is that you send this story to someone who you think will enjoy it as much as you did. Share it with your FF friends and watch them embrace the characters, too. Thank you all so much for your awesomeness! **

**I also have to say a huge thank you to all my helpers along the way: Jen's WordSong, twifan82, Sovereignvision, sunflowerfields, xlavendermoonx, and Jenny Cullen. You've all given me advice, answered my insane questions, and put up with my annoying nature. Thank you for rec'ing me out and sending me to teaser sites so I could pimp my story. And thank you all so much for your support and words of encouragement! This story is for you!**

**Well, if you feel so inclined, leave me a review and let me know what you thought. I'd love to hear anything and everything you have to say. Also, don't forget to put me on alert for my next story! It will be a humorous romance, and I'm very excited to start it! I'll even send out a TEASER for a review!**

**Love to all! ;) M**


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